A/N: Well hello there, I see you have reached chapter 23. Welcome, have some popcorn. Enjoy the show. It is nearing an end. Brace yourselves for the ride of a life. Chasing Sanity has been in the works since 2007. Seven years later, it might actually be completed. Wow. To all my loyal fans, I love you. Without my fanfiction friends, I wouldn't have kept hope in a lot. Honestly, knowing you are all here for me through thick and thin means the world to me. I truly appreciate all of you. Without further adue, the last act of Chasing Sanity, in a few crazy chapters. I hope you enjoy. Please review and keep on reading. And thank you to those reviews! (and for the Blue Elf nickname. Totally forgot about that hahaha.)

Also, thank you to the movie Dodgeball, for a quote that will leave everyone laughing.

Chapter 23: Sportacus Reigns Supreme

"What?" Stephanie approached an empty tent.

Robbie was nowhere to be seen. Even his wig was gone. She took a deep breath and told herself not to panic. She knew where Robbie lived, after all. There was no reason to worry of his whereabouts. She thought maybe he went for a walk to clear his head. He still had to portray himself as Robin Rottling to her town, after all.

With a sad sigh, Stephanie went back to her house and preoccupied herself with studying for her finals. Studying for finals was impossible, for she could only think of how hard she had fallen in love.

0o0o0o

At the edge of the woods stood two grown men, one wearing normal clothes, one wearing a suit meant for a child. Robbie dug his feet into the dirt and prepared himself to be a villain again. Sportacus folded his arms and shrugged his shoulders.

"I thought you were going to write me your progress," Sportacus began. "Nothing came in the mail. What happened?"

Robbie said, "I said I'd bring you information when I was ready and done. That being said, I won't be done until after she graduates."

"Well, I am an impatient man sometimes. Have you made any progress, Robbie?"

"Of course. She doesn't like you."

"I'm supposed to believe you when you say it so coolly, right? Seriously, what's her perspective on me? I really wanted to surprise her with something spectacular on her arrival to Lazytown. It's her last summer there, and I-"

"What do you mean last summer?" Robbie asked. His hatred for the Blue Elf grew each second.

"Robbie," Sportacus answered, "you don't think she will stick around Lazytown when she has a scholarship to be a cheerleader at some university, do you? She's going to leave and become a shining star. I want to show her I care. I want to show her my support and maybe even travel with her."

Normally, Robbie would have loved for Sportacus to travel anywhere. Deep inside, his gears had changed course. He should have jumped at the opportunity, but he denied it and wanted so badly to punch Sportacus in the face.

"Stephanie quit the cheering team." Robbie shot, "Those girls were nothing but rude. Treated Stephanie like scum."

"Quit? That's not like her! What have you done? Robbie, are you interfering with her life? This was not the plan." Sportacus let his arms fall as he clenched two fists. "What else don't I know?"

Should I tell him I had the most wonderful experience with sweetness ever? No, that wouldn't do Steph and I any good. There has to be a way to rid everyone of this loser in blue tights. Hm.

"Nothing is really happening here, Sportacus. Stephanie is finding herself. She talks negative about you, if anything. Said you really don't understand her. I couldn't get anything else out of her. She trusts me as a friend, but not enough to confide in. I think this plan has to be forfeit. It's not working out for anyone. Be a good superhero and go home. I will tell you if anything important comes up."

Sportacus replied, "I should step in. Maybe you've had enough time and just don't care about a fellow friends feelings. Remember, I love her. This isn't a game."

"Frankly, Sport, I don't give a damn." Robbie quoted a famous line and straightened his back. He added, "Stephanie is not a doll. She is not going to be won over like some carnival stuffed teddy bear."

"Robbie," Sportacus' eyes glimmered. "You care about her. I figured. Even a villain has a soft spot. What, did she make you cookies or talk about horrible inventions? Did she talk about you?"

"No. I just respect her more than you, apparently."

"Oh shut it. Robbie Rotten, the Villain. You wouldn't know how to woo a woman if she begged you to kiss her."

Robbie's fist formed a ball.

Sportacus added, "Poor Robbie, all alone in his underground tunnel. Did Stephanie tell you how we kissed at her prom? That she practically melted into my arms that night? What, did I hit a nerve?"

"That does it!" Robbie swung his fist straight at Sportacus' perfect nose, sending him staggering back in agony.

Sportacus touched his nose and looked at his hand. Blood began pooling out. Outraged, Sportacus stomped on the ground.

"Damn," Robbie shook out his hand. "Your nose felt like a brick wall. Is it fake?"

Sportacus, ignoring the comment, said, "This plan is over, Robbie. Nobody makes me bleed my own blood. Nobody!"

Without another word, Sportacus stormed off out of the woods. Robbie tugged on his shirt collar with a grin on his face and strode back towards Stephanie's house. For now, he had defeated a threat. Sportacus was a fly that would not die. Not that Robbie was fond of causing pain, but damn, it felt good to be a gangster.

0o0o0o

In her room, on her bed, picturing a world with Robbie was the only thing taking up space in Stephanie's mind. She lay on her back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She did not eat dinner. Instead, her parents believed her to be studying hard. Stephanie waited for the right time to sneak down and make a giant plate of leftover salmon and asparagus to bring to Robbie. She hoped he would like it, even if he wasn't back yet. Stephanie stepped onto the porch barefoot and in her dusty blue nightgown. She carried the plate with her, careful not to drop it. The stars winked at her as she reached the pines. Against the tent sat a shadow of Robbie sitting still. The flashlight sat in the center of the tent, illuminating even his hair.

"Knock, knock," Stephanie whispered. "I have food for you."

Robbie mumbled, "Come in, Pinky."

"You should shower in the morning," Steph said, noticing Robbie's wild hair. "It looks like you might have been rolling in the grass today."

"Ooh, what's this? Fish? Thank you, Steph. And who are you to talk, you look like you've been on fire all day. Your face is all red and you're . . . you."

Sitting next to Robbie, Steph could feel the hot air settle between them.

"Robbie, I wanted to tell you something. I don't know why it's so hard to say."

"Pinky," Robbie put the plate of food to the side. He said, "I already support anything you have to say. Look, you've turned me into a big softy."

He placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"I love you, Robbie."

"And I love, love you Pinky. Really, who'd have thought?"

"I know. A couple of loonies. You are my best friend. I'm so sorry I didn't see you for you until now. Robbie, can I sleep with you? In here?"

"Do you have to ask? A big softy needs someone to snuggle."

Stephanie leaned against Robbie. Though silence pulled minutes apart, their hearts spoke for hours. Robbie lay down. As he pulled Stephanie closer to him, he could only feel guilty for not telling her about his victorious punch. Sportacus' Reign was over, finally. All was good and simple and all was love. Stephanie drifted into a tranquil slumber. She felt Robbie's hand run through her pink hair as she fell asleep. Robbie never felt so calm in his life.

While Stephanie slept soundly, Robbie fought to stay awake to protect her.

0o0o0o

Morning came in like a fanfare, playing its vibrant colors loudly through the tent. Robbie woke first, his arm still wrapped around a pink-haired angel. Stephanie stirred in his arms and slowly opened her eyes with a smile warm and fresh.

"Hello," Robbie said, "how are you? Haven't seen you in ages. Let's grab lunch some time."

Stephanie giggled at his humor. "I can get used to this."

The two got up and scrambled around the tent.

"I've missed school," Stephanie said. "My parents wouldn't know. I leave before them if I'm walking. If they ask, I stayed at Lily's."

On cloud nine, Stephanie and Robbie snuck back into the house. Stephanie took a shower first, though she saw no reason to do so. It was already eleven in the morning. If they showed up at school now, it would look too suspicious. Instead, Stephanie decided to let Robbie shower and then walk to the high school field as if they'd been there all day.

"We can go in during lunch from the field. No one will notice."

"What an evil plan. And then we will steal all the cake?" Robbie joked.

The two arrived at school just as students began piling into the lunch room. Instead of sitting with Tiffany and Lily, Steph and Robbie – in Robin's wig and clothes – sat alone by the windows.

Looking up from his food, Robbie had a disgusted look on his face.

Again, a perfect Pinky moment ruined by Sportacus.

"Hello, Stephanie." Sportacus said, his nose covered in bandages. "Can I talk to you privately for a moment."

"Erm, yeah. This is strange. Um, Robin, excuse me for one moment." Stephanie stood up and said, "Is someone dead?"

Sportacus did not reply, but kept walking. Stephanie's stomach churned with the worst feelings. No one was just let in to school. Not unless someone had died, or had gotten into an accident. On the way to the empty halls, Tiffany happened to recognize a Blue Debonair whiz by.