17 years old.

It was a bit of an odd day. Winter had come to LazyTown and it was really quiet on the streets because it was so cold. No snow had fallen but instead, rain had fallen and overnight it had frozen so there were a lot of slippery places on each street. She was just walking out of her house when she got a text from Trixie.

''Hey Pinkie would you like to come around?'' it said. Well, she was just on her way to see Sportacus but Sportacus could wait for a few minutes. When Trixie texted her it would be important otherwise she would have called. So she changed her direction and picked up her phone again.

''On my way.'' But while she was texting she didn't see the ice she was walking over. She heard someone screaming her name and she turned around but lost her balance and fell down on the slippery ice right on her bum and she felt the air leaving her body.

''Auch.'' She said when she could breathe again. She could feel that her bum was a little sore when something blue sat down next to her.

''Stephanie you alright?'' Sportacus said when he sat next to her.

''Sportacus! Yeah bit sore.'' She said while blushing that this had to happen right in front of Sportacus. She had been crushing on him for so long but she never dared to tell him because she knew what he would say. 'Stephanie you're too young.' It had been the one thing she never wanted to hear in her whole life.

''Here let me help you up.'' He said while standing up. He held his hand out for her to pick. But when Stephanie but some weight on her feet she could only feel pain which showed on her face.

''Ouch ouch ouch.'' She said while lifting up her painful leg.

''Something wrong Stephanie?'' Sportacus asked while he tried to slow her down.

''My leg it's hurting like hell,'' Stephanie said quickly.

''Come on let me have a look,'' Sportacus said while kneeling before. She put her hands on his shoulder so she could lean on him while she was standing there. She felt his hand on her leg and tried not to scream out from the pain.

''Stephanie I think we should go to the hospital,'' Sportacus said to her with a very serious look on his face. She knew that her face had to be as white as a ghost but didn't want to see what she looked like at the very moment. She tried to say something but nothing came out of her mouth so she just nodded.

''Do you think you can walk a little or shall I carry you to my airship?'' asked Sportacus when he looked up at her. He saw in how much pain she was so he didn't even let her answer. He got up and took her in his arms.

''Well this is the third time already that I had to well sort of rescue you and bring you to my airship. Isn't that weird?'' he said while trying to calm her a bit. But if he was honest with himself he knew that he liked it that Stephanie needed him. With the years that she grew. That her body changed his feelings towards her had also changed. But what was he compared to the many boys that had asked her out? He could have been her father. He was old enough for her to refuse his love and never want to see him again. No at the moment he was far better of having her as a friend. He wanted to be her friend but oh god he wanted to be so much more with her and sometimes at day it was hard to hide his feelings. At night it was impossible his brain would show him the thing that he most desired. And each night his dreams were filled with Stephanie. Each night he would see her sometimes in her nightgown and sometimes in his jumper most of the times just in her normal clothes while she was smiling at him. Oh, those smiles were hard to erase from his brain. It was impossible for him to forget everything that had happened between them. He would never be the same after he met her all those years ago. Even if it was just friendship then. Sometimes it was just impossible to not change your feelings when you saw that person grow up. With every change her body underwent the more, he began to like her and the more he was certain he would never love anybody else. It was weird at the beginning because never in his whole life had he experienced the feeling of love. Of course, he had loved his parents but that was another type of love. No never had he loved a girl like he had loved Stephanie for such a long time. And sometimes like right now it was impossible to not show his feelings. But he had to focus. He had to get her in his airship which would be faster than a car and then into the hospital where a doctor had to look at her leg. He was sure it was broken but he just wanted a second opinion. Wanted to know if he was right and if he was he wanted her to get a cast on her leg.

''Stephanie you still with me?'' he asked when he looked down and saw her eyes drop.

''Yes just a bit tired haven't slept that well last night.'' She said while snuggling into his chest.

''Let's get you at the hospital first and after we get you back to your house you can sleep all you want,'' Sportacus said while walking a bit faster.

''Ladder. Door.'' He said and climbed up into his airship again with Stephanie secure in his arms.

He put her down in his bed again which he had just been making ready so he could go to sleep when his crystal beeped and soon after found Stephanie. When he arrived at the hospital -he had been carrying her in his arms- he immediately asked for a doctor who came after not too long. He put her down on the examination table where he saw Stephanie flinch from the pain. He went to stand next to her and took her soft small pink hand in his.

''Some photo's should be made.'' The doctor said after a few minutes. After those where made and the doctor knew what was wrong he ordered for a nurse to get her a cast.

''There is only one slight problem.'' The doctor said before he left.

''That is?'' Sportacus said while holding her hand again.

''Because of the way the bone has been broken it isn't possible for her to get a cast with which she can walk. So for at least 2 weeks, there is no way for her to put pressure on the leg. After two weeks she has to come back and we can look how the bone has healed. But for the coming 2 weeks, she can't walk. Do you understand Stephanie you can't walk.'' The doctor said and after that, he immediately walked out of the room.

''So that will be no exercises than for you for a while. Pity.'' Sportacus said while he looked her in the eye. Oh, those big brown eyes were his safe haven for such a long time already. Stephanie just nodded when the nurse came in for a cast.

''So what are your plans for Christmas?'' he asked her to kill the time.

''Haven't got any plans 'till now.'' She was looking at the nurse with fear in her eyes. He put his fingers under her chin and turned her head so that he looked her in the eye. The white cast on her right leg came until a few centimeters under her knee.

''You can't let it become wet so if you go under the shower put a plastic bag around it.'' the nurse said just before she went away.

''Well let's get you home.'' He said gently while he picked her up and walked them back towards the airship.

''Sportacus,'' Stephanie said when he was about to climb the ladder that had just come down.

''Yes Stephanie? Is something wrong? Am I hurting you?'' he asked quickly.

''No just… Thank you. Thank you for helping me when I needed you.'' She said with a drowsy smile on her face.

''It's my pleasure. That's what I'm here for, isn't it? To help.'' He said smiling at her when he stepped into his airship.

''No you're here for me,'' Stephanie said softly when she closed her eyes. He lowered her yet again down on his bed. He wanted to see her sleep to see her cute face become painless. He wanted her to stay the night with him and bring her back in the morning. But he couldn't be selfish today. No, he knew her uncle would be frantic with fear at this moment because she should have been in her bed already. So he silently walked back towards the controls and flew them back. He landed yet again in her uncle's yard so it would be easier for him to carry her into her home. When he landed he could see Mayor Meanswell standing in the doorway with a crazy look in his eyes. So he slowly picked up Stephanie and walked with her in his arms into the Mayor's house.

''Sportacus. Sportacus. What happened.'' He almost screamed at him. He could see Bessie in the corner of his eye but didn't give her any attention she normally would like to have.

''Mayor calm down she fell on the ice and hurt her leg. I just came back from the hospital with her. She has a cast as you can probably see but she isn't allowed to walk on it so she will need someone the coming two weeks to help her. Can I put her in her bed she has been awfully tired the past hours.'' Sportacus said. The mayor just nodded and let the way towards her room. The problem for Stephanie was that she had to go upstairs to reach her room so that would mean she would probably be in her room upstairs for far too long.

When he put her down the mayor walked towards him.

''Sportacus I'm afraid I need to ask you a really big favor.'' He said while looking at his dear niece.

''Out with it Mayor.'' He calmly said. He didn't want to wake Stephanie she needed her sleep more than him right now.

''Well you see Bessie and I would go on a holiday tomorrow. Stephanie agreed that she could be alone for the week but now that she can't walk herself…'' he said and began to blush he really needed this holiday with Bessie. He wanted to ask her hand in marriage but that would never happen if he didn't get her alone. Away from all the people she knew.

''So what are you asking Mayor?'' Sportacus said while he watched Stephanie's chest rise and fall.

''Sportacus I'm asking if you want to take care of her while I'm away. I would never go if I went alone but I need this holiday. I… want to ask her to marry me.'' The mayor whispered the last part but Sportacus knew it was important for him. And to be honest it would give him a whole week alone with Stephanie.

''Of course Mayor.'' He said and put his hand on his shoulder. ''I'm sure Bessie would love that.'' He said with a big smile. When he heard the Mayor walk out of the room he picked up a blue marker and went towards her leg.

'Hope you get better soon and I will see you tomorrow.

Sportacus '

With a pink marker, he made the heart after his name. it wasn't really appropriate but she had his heart and that was the truth.

That was why Sportacus let his airship stand in the Mayor's garden and went to sleep on the ground instead of In the air.