A/N: I finally try to update and Fanfiction is down. What a sad life.

Chapter 15: Pajamas

Stephanie was in the kitchen talking to her parents. Robbie was sitting on the loveseat, wondering what kind of a mess he got into. He stared at the blank television and could see Steph's reflection approaching the living room.

"Mom says it's fine." Steph said.

Alice followed her daughter in with a horrified look on her face. "I can't believe your parents dropped you off at school and didn't bother waiting for their move. I'm sorry, but I don't agree with that. You can stay here as long as you want, Robin. I would like to meet your parents when they do come up, though. I need to speak with them about raising their child."

Robbie jumped from his seat like it was an electric chair. "I appreciate your concern," he said, "but I'm fine. Honestly, our move just got a bit chaotic. I'm fine."

"Well, I'm still going to speak with them. You can still stay as long as you need to. Do you have any of your clothes?"

"I forgot them in the locker at school." It wasn't a lie. Robbie took a backpack full of clothes to keep his disguise up. "I will shower after gym tomorrow and bring the backpack here after if my parents haven't shown up yet."

Suddenly, Robbie felt guilt. He never meant for such a little disguise to snowball into a catastrophe of fraud. Now he needed to decide to keep going with it and finish what he came here for, or run far away without looking back. With Alice and Don being so hospitable, the decision wasn't easy. He wanted to spend some time in a real home that wasn't built underground, eat a home cooked meal, see one of the only people from Lazytown who semi-understood him.

Don came in with flannel bottoms and a beat up t-shirt. "Time for a movie, then?" He plopped down on the accent chair and put his feet up on the Ottoman in front of it. "Dragons and swords, explosions and a chase, or fall-off-the-seat laughter?"

"Darling," Alice said, "Why don't we watch that new comedy I was telling you about. Stephanie will like it. Robin, you don't mind a little bit of romance, do you?"

Robbie shook his head and sat back down on the loveseat.

"I'm going to change and I'll be right back," Steph announced. She left for the second floor.

"I'll grab some lemonade and pretzels." Alice bounced off merrily.

Robbie felt the daggers of Don's pupils stabbing him. It was an awkward and silent five minutes. Quite possibly the longest five minutes of Robbie's life. He had to remind himself to sit like a teenage guy: legs five miles apart, back slouched, one arm on his lap, one on the arm of the seat. He tried to think of things that teen guys did in their natural existence: burp loudly, yawn loudly, sigh loudly. He sighed hesitantly, which sounded more like a grunt than anything. Don shot him a strange glance as though he were examining specimen under a microscope.

Hello, Pinky.

Stephanie entered the room wearing a baby blue, knee-length nightgown. Its string tank-straps gave Robbie a full view of her shoulders and most of her back. She held her head high and sat on the couch in front of the television. She looked over to Robin, noticing his sudden lack of composure. She couldn't tell if it was due to her attire or the fact that his posture on the loveseat was horrible and unnatural. She couldn't help but giggle.

"Are you having a back issue?" She asked him bluntly.

Robbie answered, "No, I'm just relaxing."

"Hey, scoot over," Alice fell onto the couch in her flannel pajamas. "I'm lying down. Go scoot your bum onto the loveseat."

Don turned the television on and found the movie his wife wanted to watch. Pretzels sat in bowls on both coffee tables, along with a pitcher of fresh lemonade and some paper cups. Stephanie reluctantly sat next to Robbie. Sitting so close to a boy was not her idea of a relaxing family night. Her heart beat slightly faster out of nerves.

Robbie gulped hard. He took some lemonade and drank a cup before the movie even started. Once it was on, the lights turned out, a new sense of comfort gnawed at Robbie's insides. He could tell Stephanie felt the same way. She wasn't tense from the day. She was still, calm, like a pond on a summer evening. Her face remained blank, however, probably anxious about being so close to someone unfamiliar. Her body finally leaned back into cushion, one leg crossed over the other. Breathing didn't exist between the two of them. Something different settled in the space that separated their hips. Stephanie's thoughts charged like a bull; if she moved an inch, she could bump into Robin. That would initiate a sorry, a playful smile, things that her and Nate shared.

Both Robbie and Steph stuffed their faces with pretzels and lemonade. They dared not look at each other for various reasons. While the movie portrayed a couple surviving hilarious and over-the-top circumstances, it also struck a chord along the lines of love.

I want to put my arm around her.

I want to hear him laugh.

I want to pull her in to snuggle.

I want to snuggle him.

With the movie near its end, Robbie felt the struggle of sleep begin. He readjusted his body into a more comfortable position. Never had he experienced such a belonging. This family accepted him. They accepted that he was a loner, an oddball, a stranger. Stephanie especially took a liking toward him. He worried about her previous statement on assuming he was related to someone she knew to cause trouble. If his disguise wasn't good enough, how long would it take her to figure out who he was? Would she freak if he told her the truth? Robbie was supposed to be on a mission to figure out if Sportacus was Stephanie's love interest. After witnessing everything with Nate, Robbie had his answer. He could have left already. But he didn't. He wanted to learn more about Stephanie Meanswell. Who she was deep down, where she liked going, what music she listened to, what – she looked like in pajamas.

"Damn." Robbie said in a whisper.

Stephanie heard him. She turned her head and whispered back, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He replied. "Just really tired." And maybe the fact that I am truly enjoying time spent with you. Pink freak.

In mere moments, the movie was done and Don proclaimed his exhaustion. He gave his daughter a hug and kiss on the forehead and proceeded to his bed upstairs. Alice was not too far behind, but she made sure her daughter followed suit.

"Goodnight Robin," Steph said. "Thanks for keeping me company today. Turns out, you are no stalker."

Half-asleep, Robbie replied, "Goodnight Pinky."

Stephanie stopped in her tracks. Robbie fell asleep seconds after he said this. Alice came around the corner with a blanket to put over the guest. She headed towards the staircase, waiting for her daughter.

"Pinky." Steph repeated. No one had called her that, ever, except for one man.

The name-calling could've been a mistake caused by sleep deprivation. Sure, that would be plausible. Of course, Stephanie had a brain in her skull. A brain that remembered the first time Robbie Rotten called her Pinky. The endearing term started out as a sarcastic shot at her hair. After years went by, Robbie said it with a different tone. He no longer had the hatred behind it, or the sarcasm. The more Steph got to know Robbie, the more she knew he shared a lot in common with her. They were both misunderstood, both lost in a world of superficial people walking with noses in the air. But this – Pinky – this struck a chord. Stephanie realized Robin Rottling was a disguise.

Why am I so blind? She thought as her bed welcomed her. Such a crappy time at school and Robbie thinks he can spy? This can't be his doing. I will have to break the news tomorrow. Seriously, how long was he planning on doing this? Maybe I will allow it to go for one more day to figure out the reason behind all of this.

Under pale moonlight, Stephanie stirred in her sheets. Suddenly, she was not tired.