Stephanie and Sportacus had spread the word around town about the party. There were many hands helping to pull it off.

The spare lumber used to build the barricade earlier had been set up for tables. Lawn chairs were brought out. Coolers were filled with cold drinks and food was being assembled on the impromptu tables. Sportacus finished setting up the colorful tiki torches, in case the party went past dark. The kids had found time to bake a welcome back cake for the Mayor and Bessie. Stingy was scolding Ziggy for swiping his finger through the icing, while Pixel programmed and set up the sound system for the music.

Everyone had been hard at work. Robbie was almost in physical pain having to listen to the preparations from his perch in the treehouse.

Sportacus had discovered when the train with the Mayor and Bessie on it, would be getting in. He planned to meet them and escort them to their party. There was still plenty of time before he needed to get them. Sportacus looked around in appreciation at everything that had been done. They were ready.

His gaze landed on Stephanie, who looked like she could do with a nap. She had sat down on a short piece of forgotten lumber, left off to the side, out of the way. He watched as her head nodded forward, then jerked back up. He raised his eyebrows and smiled as he watched.

When Stephanie let loose a yawn that looked to split her head, Sportacus moved to stand under his airship. He had moved his airship closer to the treehouse, just in case they had forgotten anything for the party. He called up, "Pillow!" His pillow dropped down into his hands and he walked over to stand next to Stephanie.

He gently pushed Stephanie onto her side, and placed his pillow beneath her head.

"But, my Uncle ... and Bessie...I want to go to the party," she protested.

"I promise you won't miss any of it. It will still be awhile before they get home. Take a nap. You've worked hard, Stephanie."

"You promise?" Stephanie asked.

"You don't trust me?" Sportacus asked sounding hurt.

Stephanie replied with a smile, eyes already closed, "Of course I do. No one I trust more..." Stephanie mumbled drifting off into silence. Sportacus gave her hand a squeeze, then turned to double check everything before he left.

Robbie was peeking out the treehouse window. "How can she sleep, with all this racket?" He was both astounded and impressed.

When Sportacus returned with the Mayor and Bessie, the party had already started. People were dancing, snacking on sportscandy, and helping themselves to the contents of the coolers.

Stingy had even managed to keep Ziggy away from anymore of the cake. As they arrived, people began shouting, "Welcome home!" The Mayor and Bessie were touched, and replied back to the well wishes, graciously.

Sportacus was walking over to wake up Stephanie when he saw her sit up and rub her eyes. He slowed to a stop and stood looking at her. She looked up and saw him watching her. She had a feeling of deja' vu. She realized that must have been the expression on her face this morning in the kitchen, when she put the counter between herself and Sportacus.

She slowly smiled at Sportacus, then ran jumping at him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. And she kissed him. And, God help him, he kissed her back.

Robbie stomping around inside the treehouse, making noises such as ewwww, and grosss, finally made them pull apart, laughing. Stephanie slowly slid down the length of Sportacus until her feet touched the ground. She gave him one last peck in the middle of his chest, then bolted for her Uncle and Bessie to welcome them back.

Hours later, the party was still in full swing. Everyone was having a great time, well, except for you know who. It was a party of which to be proud. But, it had been a long day, an emotional day, let alone weekend, and Sportacus knew it was time for him to take his leave. He looked around though, at everyone moving, laughing, being friendly, and smiled in satisfaction.

He noticed the moon rising over the treehouse, then focused on the treehouse. He sighed and went to get the ladder. He set the ladder back in place and climbed. Sportacus stuck his head into the treehouse. Robbie was sitting beneath the window. It looked like he was still pouting.

"Well, Robbie?"

"Well, what?"

"Have you learned your lesson?"

"I didn't know there was going to be a test."

"What you did...somebody could have been killed. You understand that...right?"

Robbie ducked his head for a moment, then rotated his head up and away from Sportacus.

"You missed a fun party, Robbie. You miss out on other fun things, too. If you would let them, meet them halfway, the kids would be your friends."

"I don't need friends. Especially that pink cheerleader girlfriend of yours." Robbie gave a small sniff and shudder.

Sportacus shook his head sadly at Robbie. "You're free to leave, Robbie. I'm giving you fair warning that no one is likely to trust you to any degree for quite some time. You are going to have to earn some trust back, and it won't be easy. But, if you can learn to trust them, in time, they will be able to trust you."

Sportacus stepped off the ladder and dropped to the ground. He waited for Robbie to come down, but apparently, Robbie wasn't ready to feel freedom, yet. Sportacus thought to himself what a sad prison Robbie placed himself in, everyday. Instead, he walked over to the Mayor Meanswell..

"Mayor, I am glad you and Bessie had a great time at the conference. And, I am glad you are home safely." He stood in his superhero stance.

"Yes, we had a wonderful time! Thank you, Sportacus, for keeping an eye on Stephanie. I hope she stayed out from under you." Sportacus' eyes opened wide and his arms fell to his sides.

"I think the Mayor means 'out from underfoot'," Bessie interjected.

"Oh, yes, yes. She seems quite independent, our Stephanie, a 'hands off' kind of girl," the Mayor said.

Sportacus' eyes opened slightly wider and he cleared his throat before he answered. "Oh, no, Mayor. We got along fine." Sportacus suddenly seemed like he didn''t know what to do with his hands. If he had pockets, he'd have shoved them in by now.

The Mayor had begun to ramble. "And bouncy. She's always bouncing around. Sportacus," the Mayor looked at him questioningly, "perhaps you could find a way to ... I don't know ...focus her bouncing? Surely you can enlighten her to some organized activities involving jumping?"

Sportacus' jaw dropped open slightly. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, swallowed hard, took a gulp of air, and cleared his throat.

"Mayor, I am pretty sure Stephanie could teach me a few things about jumping."

"Good, good. She's such a sweet little girl. And I'm glad everything was okay this weekend. But, I'll bet she had you in the palm of her hand, superhero or not." Sportacus could feel his eyes getting big again. Unexpectantly, he remembered the feel of Stephanie's hand on his skin, fingers spread flat against his abdomen.

The mayor moved a little closer to Sportacus. "You know, if you're not careful, she will have you wrapped around her little finger. I think she might have small crush on you, Sportacus." The Mayor shook his head slowly, up and down, and smiled conspiratorily. Sportacus gave a weak half smile. All he said was, "Really?"

Sportacus repeated he was glad they were home safely, and had a great time. Bessie pulled him to her, so she could give him a peck on the cheek. She whispered in his ear, "Wonderful, simply wonderful! I don't know how we can thank you enough!"

Sportacus looked around, searching for Stephanie. She had fallen asleep again, head burried in his pillow. He looked at the Mayor and Bessie and smiled. "I have to go now, it's way past my bedtime. Superhero's need their rest to stay ... super."

"You're not going to leave without saying goodbye to Stephanie?" the Mayor asked.

"She's had an exciting weekend and could probably use the sleep." Sportacus stared at her a moment. "I will try to talk to her before I go." He turned in Stephanie's direction. "Good night, Mayor, Bessie!"

"Good night, Sportacus!" the Mayor and Bessie called after him. "And thank you, again!"

The Mayor spoke to Bessie, "There goes a great superhero. I can always count on Sportacus to handle any situation. He's not afraid to get his hands on anything. Throw him anything, anywhere, anytime, and he will catch it. Nothing slips through his fingers." The Mayor gave a satisfied sigh. "Care to dance, Miss Busybody?" Bessie grinned, grabbed the Mayor by the hand, and took off dancing.

Robbie finally jumped off the last step of the ladder as Sportacus passed by. Sportacus said to Robbie, "I hope you grow up someday, Robbie. So many pleasures in life you're going to miss if you don't." Robbie stuck his tongue out, then ducked behind the tree, until he got up the nerve to slink home.

Sportacus looked around. It seemed like everyone was busy having a good time. He kneeled down next to Stephanie. He gazed on her silently, stroking her hair with an imperceptable touch. He resisted the urge to stretch himself out alongside and share the pillow with her.

"Maybe someday, Stephanie. You still have a lot of girl in you, and that's a good thing. Enjoy it. You're growing up, faster than even you know. Don't rush it. Anyone who cares for you will still be here, even if it's just in your heart. I love you, Stephanie." Sportacus leaned down, cupped her cheek gently, and pressed a kiss to her lips. Stephanie, dreaming, kissed him back. The sounds of the party evaporated for Sportacus.

He finally drew himself away, turned and walked under his ship. "Ladder!" The ladder descended and he climbed up into the ship. Robbie watched as the ladder disappeared and slowly the airship glided in the direction of the north star.

Robbie Rotten shuffled past Stephanie on his way home. He was the only one who heard her whisper in her sleep, "...love you, too." He froze in the middle of a step, and rolled his eyes while making a face. He took another step, then turned his head back toward Stephanie. She looked peaceful and happy. Without meaning to, one corner of Robbie's mouth pulled into a kind of smile. When he realized what he was doing, Robbie slapped the grin off his face and scowled darkly. Robbie made his way home with a look of consideration etched on his face, thinking about Stephanie.

Stephanie smiled in her sleep. She was on her side, one arm wrapped around Sportacus' pillow, her nose burried in it.

In her dream, Stephanie floated in the midst of flower petals. She knew she had entered Sportacus' airship though she couldn't see it through the petals.

She was lying on a bed of flower petals and he stretched out beside her, sharing his pillow with her. She could feel his pillow under her head and she breathed in his scent. It was the scent of what she imagined a pine forest on an island in the North Sea would smell like. Pine. Salty mist. Crisp air.

He said to her, "I love you, Stephanie." She could feel the press of his lips on hers, and she pressed back, trying to seal their lips forever. Too soon, he moved away.

She eventually replied back, "I love you, too." She couldn't see him, but she felt him. He was nearby. And she was content to be inside Sportacus' airship, sharing his pillow, burried beneath his flower petals, basking in their trust.

The End

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Love it, hate it? Too bad, I'm happy! Thank you everyone, who has given such great support and encouragement! I'll miss you. And yes, eight year old girls, having been one myslelf once upon a time, are capable of such emotions and behaviors. So there.