"Robyn, there's something I need to tell you." Robbie sighed as he looked away from Robyn.

There's something I have to tell you
But I can't find the words to say
I wish I could I could freeze time
So I don't have to follow through

Robyn began to tremble as her father held her hands tighter in his and she began to feel the pain that was coursing within him. Not knowing what was going or what it was that he was going to tell her she began to get scared. Losing a grip on her emotions she began to cry as she studied her father's pain etched face.

I see tears on your face
But I can't wipe them away
No matter what I do now
It looks like they are here to stay

Unable to hang on any longer, and summoning up whatever strength he had left in his body, Robbie looked at Robyn and said the words that he knew would forever destroy his relationship with her, "I'm not your father."

I've broken your heart in two
And you look away from me
There's nothing I can do
To change what I've done

Shocked to the very core of her being as the words Robbie had said sunk in Robyn turned her face away no longer able to look at him. She tried to take her hands from his but even though his grip had lessened she couldn't release them.

I see tears on your face
But I can't wipe them away
No matter what I do now
It looks like they are here to stay

Feeling sick from the impact of the magnitude of what she'd been told Robyn pulled her hands away forcefully and bent over with her head resting on her knees. She breathed in and out heavily trying to dispel her nausea while she wished the ground would swallow her.

I'm so sorry for what I've done
I'd change it if I could
I never meant to hurt you
But that's all I ever do

His heart in his shoes Robbie watched Robyn struggle to come to terms with what she'd been told. Desperate for her to look at him he tried to get her to lean back but she flinched so violently when he touched her that he didn't seek to do the same again.

I see tears on your face
But I can't wipe them away
No matter what I do now
It looks like they are here to stay
It looks like they are here to stay

Ellen climbed down from the airship feeling bored with waiting for Sportacus. She'd watched his argument with Kit and had seen Ché escort both men to his own airship. In spite of Kit's seemingly uncontrollable temper she was sorely tempted to go over to the Rotten house and see if she could twist the knife some more but upon seeing Robyn fleeing the house she knew she didn't have to.

Playing the concerned future Aunt, Ellen sauntered over to the garden where she'd seen Robyn disappear. Looking up at Ché's airship as she walked she noticed that no one up there had seen Robyn leave the house and a large smile crossed her face. Things were working better than she had planned and there would be no interference to prevent her rubbing salt into a clearly visible wound. Fighting her growing excitement Ellen breathed in and out deeply to calm it before she jumped up and down for joy. There was work to be done and there would be time to celebrate later, she couldn't lose it now.

Walking into the garden she spotted Robyn sitting on the edge of the pond. The sight of the girl crying her eyes out was almost touching but there was no room for sympathy in her heart. With a heart of stone she sat down beside the girl casually. For some time her presence wasn't recognised but when it was and the girl looked up at her she smiled sweetly.

"Poor thing," Ellen cooed brushing back some of Robyn's hair, "You know the truth now so everything will be alright."

"You…you knew?" Robyn asked.

Ellen nodded, "I did. Everybody knew except you, even Kit. They didn't want to tell you because, well, because they never wanted you to know. I think perhaps they wanted to see how long it would take you to find out yourself, to see how long they could make you look like a fool."

She couldn't believe what she'd been told. It couldn't be true. Kit would have never lied to her and her friends would never have kept something like from her either. In her heart she knew that Ellen was lying and could sense it in the woman's thoughts. Her agony turning to anger Robyn locked eyes with the woman and held her firmly in her gaze. Before Ellen even knew what was happening Robyn landed and almighty slap on the woman's cheek sending her backwards into the pond.

Ellen struggled to pull herself out of the pond. The more she fought to get out the more the netting tangled about her. With her head still under water she found it harder to hold her breath as her struggles used up whatever oxygen remained in her body and she couldn't lift her head to the surface to get more. She began to lose hope as funny shapes flickered in front of her eyes and whatever light she could see above her faded when she felt herself being lifted out of the water. Gasping for air Ellen looked around her and found herself wrapped up in Sportacus' arms. It was of no surprise to her that a crowd had followed him, a crowd that included Ché, Kit and Greta.

After ten minutes Ellen had gotten her breath back sufficiently enough and she looked at Sportacus before saying, "Well?

"Well what?" Sportacus asked

"She tried to drown me. What are you going to do about it?"

Sportacus looked at Robyn then at Ellen, "Is this true?"

"What are you talking about? Of course it's true! Look at my cheek! She slapped me then pushed me in the pond. She's a monster."

"Surely you of all people know me better than that. I admit I slapped her but she fell in the pond, I didn't push her." Robyn protested, "Who do you believe?"

There was a long pause before Sportacus replied, "Ellen."

"You don't…you don't believe her…" Robyn broke off unable to say anything more.

Feeling outraged that Sportacus would believe Ellen over her and betrayed by his actions Robyn left the garden as fast as she could. Ignorant to the cries of her friends she carried on walking assisted only by her crutch.

Greta stood forward after Robyn had left and grabbed hold of Sportacus but not before pulling Ellen away from him. Lifting Sportacus up by the shoulders she resisted the urge to shake him.

"I saw what happened. Robyn did slap Ellen but Ellen fell backwards into the pond. She got herself tangled in the netting by trying to get out. You are going to find Robyn and sort things out." Greta hissed and put Sportacus on the ground.

As soon as Sportacus felt himself returned to the ground he knew he had to do just as Greta had said. Looking at Ellen with uncertainty in his eyes he ran out of the garden and in the direction that Robyn had gone in.

"And as for you…" She growled turning to Ellen before landing a slap on the same cheek as Robyn had done.

Sportacus ran until he caught up with Robyn. She'd gone a long way for someone with mobility as poor as hers and it seemed she was more than content to carry on. Running ahead of Robyn, Sportacus forced her to stop but she pushed against him as she tried to get him out of her way.

"Robyn, please." He pleaded.

"Please what?"

"Come back."

"I'm never coming back Sportacus. I can't, I won't."

"You have to."

"No I don't!" Robyn shouted shoving Sportacus away and continued walking.

"Yes you do and that's an order!"

Robyn snarled as she turned around and shouted, "You're not my father!"

Sportacus watched as Robyn continued walking. Before he could stop himself he shouted back, "Yes I am!"

Stopping dead in her tracks Robyn turned around slowly with a look of sheer horror on her face. She knew that every word was true.

END OF PART ONE

To be continued…

A.N The song at the beginning of the chapter was written by yours truly.