Stephanie woke the next morning and dressed for school. She entered the main room to Robbie s to find them both asleep. Her father on the floor and Robbie half hanging out of his chair. Stephanie didn't know where the bathroom was here and didn't want to wake either. She opened a door and found it empty.
"What you need Pixie?"
"Sorry Robbie I didn't want to wake you. I need to use the bathroom."
He showed her before going about waking her father.
"Stephanie?"
"She's fine. You don't get up she'll be late for school." He said
"That late already?"
"Considering you didn't go to bed till four I'm surprised I even got you up." Robbie said
"No wonder I feel as if I have had sugar." He muttered getting up as Stephanie came out with her backpack.
"You take the bed tonight Pabbi. I'll take the floor it'll be like camping!" She chirped.
"You always this jumpy in the morning?" Robbie asked
"Pretty much." She said shrugging.
"Your dad and I agree you should tell those brats you play with to do it around the lair. Yes I know this means they will know about your father and I but the hell with it if it will keep your butt safe." He said
Sportacus walked her to school after her breakfast and she said instead of recess outside she would probably play in the gym.
He picked her up as promised and she was glad to see Robbie not far behind.
"Hi Pabbi. Umm I need the animal book from the ship, I turned in my essay but we got another one today. I have to research some kind of monkey." She said
"I'll get it. Did you explain to your friends why if they want to play they need to do it near Robbie's?"
"Yeah they were kind of surprised but agreed. You sure he won't go after one of them?"
"No his revenge is on our family not the people of Lazytown."
"As long as your sure." She said
"Hi Robbie!" She chirped.
"So how did they take it?" He said
"They said it's just fine. The only one really surprised was Uncle Milford but he also said it was for the best."
"Does that include knowing about your father and I?"
"Oh everyone is fine with it Robbie. Most have guessed you like each other." She said as they headed home.
"Pabbi it's Grandpa!" She cheered seeing a familiar pirate ship docked by the lair.
"I forgot to tell you he was here didn't I." Sportacus beamed at his daughter.
"Very Sneaky Pabbi."
"I wonder where I got that." He teased and she scrunched her nose at him.
"There you are. I didn't think school was that far." Nine said
"I got started talking." Stephanie said hugging him.
"So your aunt is looking for you in the ship." He said smiling.
She climbed up to find the whole family there.
"There you are. I got something for you. I've been working on it for a while now and I'm glad I don't have to send it." Isabelle said
Stephanie went over to her and was shocked to see her pull out a crystal necklace.
"It's made almost like your father's. It will only tell you if one you conisder family is in trouble." She said putting it around Stephanie's neck.
"Go show your dad." She said at the beaming girl.
"Pabbi look!" She said climbing down.
"I thought that what it was. Congratulations Stephanie it's a big deal to get your crystal. Ordinarily it would have been your mother to give it to you. Isabelle is a skilled Crystal maker and has made most of the family's crystals since she took over for your great grandmother."
"Did she make yours?"
"Mine was the last one your Great Grandmother made." He said
Stephanie suddenly looked around squinting.
"Sun to bright?" Robbie asked
"Shh someone's listening." She said in a low whisper.
Robbie raised an eyebrow and Nine looked proud.
"She's getting her abilities a bit young." He beamed.
"Who is it?" Sportacus asked already knowing the answer.
"Alexi. Robbie can we go inside? I don't wanna be here right now."
"Sure. It's to bright anyway." He said taking the girl by the hand and helping her down into his lair.
Sure enough just outside the barrier they spotted Alexi. He smirked seeing nine.
"Nice to see you old friend." He called.
"You be no friends of mine. I catch you near that girl I'll skin you alive." Nine called.
"You'll have to catch me first. To think that bean pole thinks he's the master of disguise....He got nothin on me." he said turning into Stephanie's mother before thier eyes.
Sportacus had never had such a look of hatred on his face. He was glad Stephanie was inside. Nine had never said he could take another form.
"Odin's beard." Nine gasped
"You didn't know he could do this?" His son asked
"By the gods no. She'll have to stay here until we catch him. She'll be a sitting duck otherwise. Nine said
Alexi disappeared and the family followed Sportacus down to the lair. They explained to her that since he could switch his appearances that maybe she should stick around the lair until they could catch him. They would make sure her homework got turned in and that someone picked up her assignments.
"Can I still go outside as long as one of you are with me?" She asked
"Of course. I'm not keeping you locked up I just don't want you going outside the barrier spells. No matter who asks you to leave the barrier don't. Even if it's me." Sportacus warned
"I know. Unless you take them down I'm not leaving the area." She said
True to her word the next morning she did go outside but was careful to stay in the barriers. It was a nice day out so she took one of Robbie's blankets and spread it out to do some reading. That s where Robbie found her.
"What are you reading?" He asked
"A book of fairy tales." She said looking up.
"Oh really and where did you get that?"
"Pabbi got it out of the ship for me last night." She shrugged
"Which fairy tale?" He asked trying to bond some more with her but not knowing how.
"Sleeping beauty. It's my favorite!" She said
"I've never heard that one."
"You haven t! Here stretch out it's kind of long." She said
Sportacus smiled as he happened upon his daughter reading to Robbie. Robbie seemed to be enjoying the story even interrupting to ask questions.
"She's got to get woken by the prince right? I mean she can't just sleep forever!" Robbie said
"Well let's finish the story and find out." Stephanie said laughing.
"At least the fairies put everyone to sleep and not just her." He said when it was done.
Stephanie looked up suddenly and scrunched her nose.
"He's here." She said lowly.
Robbie put an arm around her. Just let the man try to take her from him! Stephanie's eyes went wide as she saw the form of her mother.
"Stephanie dear it's mama!"
"How dare you." She hissed
"Is that anyway to treat your mother now come give me a hug."
Stephanie however continued to glare. Sportacus looked up from what he was doing to see what was going on feeling her hatred. He made his way slowly trying to sneak up on the intruder.
"Butterfly come on don't be mad."
Stephanie turned and buried her face in Robbie's chest. He glared at the woman's form knowing that the real Mrs. Meanswell was dead.
"You really don't have a heart do you?" He himself spat
"Who are you? Stephi come one time to go home."
"Go away!" Came the muffled voice of Stephanie.
Suddenly she felt the presences of her grandparents and Aunt and Uncle.
"Ahh a family affair?" He said disappearing.
Sportacus stepped momentarily outside the barrier to look for him only to be hit over the head. Alexi then appeared again in his form he was getting tired of this and wanted to kill the girl and get it over with.
"Stephanie are you all right?"
"Pabbi?" Stephanie said looking up.
"Wait Pixie I don't think that's him."
"If you are her father then you'll be able to tell me what her favorite cat of mine is."
"Fluffy of course."
"Wrong you bastard I don't own a cat! Where's her father?!"
"What are you talking about I'm her father."
"Like hell you are. My boy would have answered the question correctly." Nine spat
"Dad come on tell them it's me will you please?"
"See that right there also tells me you aint my son. He never calls me dad or father least not in English."
"I'll get the girl one way or another." he said disappearing.
Several moments later Sportacus woke and got up walking toward the barriers.
"Hold it. If your her father what did I give her right before bed?"
"You tucked her into the chair with your blanket and you fixed Robodog to protect her." He said confused
"God I'm glad to see you. Little freak changed into you."
"Stephanie are you all right?" He said touching the back of his head and wincing.
"I'm ok Pabbi. He.....looked like....mama for a minute."
"Did your mother every call you butterfly?" Robbie asked looking down at the girl attached to his middle.
"Uh-huh that s what was so scary."
"Yet he didn't know anything about us. You leave anything in the air-ship that might have told him that little fact?"
"Uh-huh I didn't have room to grab my letters I keep in the shoebox under my bed."
"Damn what else did they say?"
"A lot about her and dad."
"Dad?" Nine asked
"Howard her husband." Stephanie said
"We need to plan how to catch him and fast." Robbie said
So they went down to the lair and tried to figure out how to catch him without leaving Stephanie alone in case the barriers didn't hold.
"You lot go I'll stay with Pixie. You really think I'm going to let him near her. I know this lair I have places I can hide her if for some reason the little shit does get in." Robbie said
"Such as?" Nine asked
"I have secret rooms here that unless you know they are there you aint going to get in. Let's just say I was paranoid when I built this place."
"What were you scared of?" Stephanie asked
"Never you mind Pixie. That threat is long gone and I prefer to leave it forgotten."
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Ahh I love this story for some reason it just fits that Sportacus is her father and all. Considering I was told what to put in the story by one of you loyal fans it's not turning out to bad. Only a few chapters left my friends.