A little Mothers' Day special, late as usual. Oh well. Enjoy!
Fallen Angel
It was that time of the year again, the time when Robin wanted to bury his head in his sheets and stay there. He had no intention of getting up, not today, but as usual, as usual every year, he needed to go somewhere, somewhere important.
Four in the morning, but he didn't care. He got up, mashing himself into civvies and a pair of dark sunglasses, though the day was littered with streaks of fog, and left the tower, his footsteps silent upon the red carpeting. He felt along the walls, clattered down the metal stairs that lead into the basement, until his hand reached a small panel, set into the wall. Upon contact with his hand, the section of the wall began to glow.
Recognised: Robin, T01. Access?
"Override code Dark Sparrow, Authorisation T01." His throat was dry, and his voice was hoarse, but he shrugged the fact off.
Access granted. All records of exit deleted. Please proceed.
Quickly, he made his way from the Tower, stealthily quiet, leaving no trails behind. Even Cyborg didn't know about Dark Sparrow - Robin had planted that code deep into the Titan mainframe, deep where no one could ever find it. He hadn't trained with Batman that many years for nothing.
His destination was far, far away. After crossing the Bay on the R-Cycle, he set it to 'return to Tower', so that nobody would know where he'd gone. He moved quickly, keeping to the sides of the road, a pale interlude to the stale morning, the ends of his jacket flapping in the morning breeze. Ten minutes later, he stopped walking, tilted his head back. He'd arrived in the centre of Jump City, where the Express station was located. A rumbling escalator took him up to the second floor. He paused briefly by the ticket counter. "One ticket to Gotham City, please."
The ticket saleslady nodded knowingly. "Home visiting, honey?" He nodded, holding back the emotion that threatened to flow. Yeah, visiting my home. All that's home that I have left. To see my angel.
The lady rummaged, came up with a small slip of printed paper. "Enjoy the journey, dear."
He nodded his head in thanks, took quick steps towards the platform; waited.
Robin was glad for the invention of the Intercity Express, a wide network of trains that linked to each other all over the country. Now it wouldn't take Alfred Pennyworth and a red Ferrari to get him back to Gotham in less than an hour.
Actually, he didn't mind the Ferrari that much. It was pretty cool.
The high speed bullet Maglev rushed into the station with barely a sound. The doors hissed open, and he stepped in, skulking to the seat in the corner and sitting down, pulling his jacket tighter around him and glaring down anyone who tried to take the seat beside his.
Yes, he didn't mind the cars, but it was the attention from the press that he minded. I mean, come on, seriously, who doesn't notice a Ferrari (or a Lamborghini, or a Maserati) screaming into Gotham City? Especially when you've got a butler who redefines the meaning of 'speed demon'. The press would notice, and then Vicki Vale would be all over him and then... The consequences were going to be smeared all over the headlines, and Bruce would gladly give him a one-way ticket to Hell.
Why? Because Dick Grayson was supposed to be off in some fancy, faraway private college slaving away to become just as good as Bruce Wayne, not hidden beneath a cape and cloak, fighting crime three hundred miles from Gotham. Yeah, that was why.
People would start questioning if he started appearing too frequently, and Robin knew all about the ridiculous headlines that would greet every citizen of Gotham who bothered to read all that crap in the morning. Call it firsthand experience.
A few years back, there'd been rumours floating around about him and Barbara Gordon, the commissioner's daughter, and to make matters worse, Vicki Vale had gotten wind of that, and then, well, the expected happened. ADOPTED SON OF BILLIONAIRE BRUCE WAYNE TURNING OUT JUST LIKE HIS FATHER, oh yes, that had earned him some explaining to do, especially since the article claimed he had been 'screwing around with Barbara Gordon, 15, the commissioner's daughter.'
Yup, definitely firsthand. He pulled his hood low over his face and buried his head in his arms, only looking up when the train shuddered to a stop.
"This station: Gotham City." The doors slid open, and Robin made his way out, smoothly blending into the shades of grey, black, dark blue and beige that made up the crowd of Gothamites. He may not have looked normal in Jump, but here in Gotham, he fit right in. The clouds above the street were barely visible, like heavenly beings that were untouched by the rust and filth of Gotham.
It was a short walk down the escalator and up to the bus stop heading into the middle of the city.
Pat's Florists'. It was a corner store squatting on the crossroads, and Robin knew the store well. He was a frequent visitor - anything that he required flowers for was taken care of by Pat, the friendly store owner. The sign said 'closed', but he ignored it, and pushed open the door. Of course, she was already waiting for him, leaning on the counter twirling a flower between her fingers, her ample frame casting a mighty shadow on the wall behind, the dusky sun glaring into her eyes. It was a wonder she could see him, let alone recognise him.
"Hello, Dick."
"Hey, Pat. Happy Mothers' Day." Her voice had coaxed out a smile from his features, and Pat handed him a bouquet of carnations. "All taken care of, son."
"Thanks, Pat. Knew I could count on you."
"Anytime, son. Come back soon, the whole of Gotham misses you." Pat lowered her voice, winking at Robin. "Most of all that long nosed, poky stick of a woman, that Vicki Vale. Bet she's dying to make up some news report that's not worth my woolly slippers." Pat sighed. "See you, Dick. Take care. Send my regards to your father."
"I will. Goodbye!"
Pat nodded her acknowledgement and watched him leave the store.
He had been that would take him to the outskirts of town. Very few people came; he'd be alone here, especially in such early hours of the morning. It was a long, slow walk to the fence that bordered Gotham Cemetery; but he knew thew road well. Few could make it past the brambles that lined the elusive spot; even fewer knew the exact location of the traps, some of which contained knockout gas so that anyone who tried to uncover the location of his destination would receive a fair bit of his mind.
"And stay away!"
There it was. He looked down at the bouquet of flowers still clutched tightly in his arms. Frankly, he was surprised they'd survived all the leaping he'd had to do just to get there. Finally. He ran his free hand through his hair, and knelt down, swallowing.
"Mom. Hey, how were you? I missed you. Sorry I had to come so early, or the other Titans would notice something was going on. Say hi to Dad for me, and, well, I got some flowers. Happy Mothers' Day." He placed the flowers atop the slightly damp earth, tears clouding his eyes.
She had meant the world to him. But, it seemed, she had never meant anything to the world. Murdered, ruthlessly killed. In front of her son. His throat clogged up, and his fists clenched. Why? Why her, and not someone else? Why?
That moment of precognition, just before he felt the hand on his back. "Dick."
He didn't turn. "Batman."
Batman took hold of Robin's shoulders, turned him around. "It's been a long time."
"Yeah. Didn't know you'd come."
"Just decided to make a quick visit after I went the rounds to my parents'."
An awkward silence ensued, one that gradually smoothed out its own sharp edges. "Coffee?"
"Nah, I... gotta go. The Titans will be wondering what's happened to me."
"No longer than half an hour. Promise. And Alfred's waiting. You don't want to keep Alfred waiting."
Robin forced out a smile, taking one last long look at his parents' grave. And so they would part, until Fathers' Day, where he'd be back here again, with words of sorrow, of self-consolation, and flowers. He didn't know how long it would last, how Bruce, who'd been through this for far longer than he'd had, could cope with it. When someone you loved died, it ripped a part of you out, too.
The rain started to fall. In sheets of plate glass, as rain in Gotham often fell, oily and thick, soaking into your clothes and running dreary tearstains along the road. Batman held his cape up, rather stoically, and held it over Robin's head. "Come on, son. Let's go."
As they made their way towards the waiting Quattroporte, rain drumming on its sides and its roof, Robin turned back, one more time.
Several years ago, he had stood there alone, men in black suits and hats telling him they were 'so sorry' and the ladies with crocodile tears, simpering 'Oh, the poor boy!' He'd felt alone, detached from the world, in a daze. He'd crumpled to his knees in the pouring rain not caring that his best suit was ruined, completely oblivious to the mud that was running into his shoes.
I'm so sorry, Mom. Today is the day, the day most others will be celebrating, having a mother to hold close. That was torn from me, six years ago. And every year, on the dot, I'm here. Yearning for what I can never have, never get back. She was my mother. Mine. And that's why I'm fighting crime. In memory of my mother. My name. Robin. She used to call me that, her little robin, and so I took on that. I'm going to avenge her, going to keep other people's mothers safe, bring thugs to justice. Nobody should ever end up like me again.
He turned his head back, looking up at the figure dressed in black Spandex, holding up his cape over Robin's head. But I have a father, a new father, to keep me safe. He could never replace my original one - but I'll let it be known that he tried.
For now, he'll be all to remind me of who I am, to keep me safe, to fill the hole in my heart. The one left behind by my fallen angel.
-END-
So, how did you find it? Review and let me know! Happy late Mothers' Day! :D
16 May 2012: Wow. I posted this in the morning, left it for a couple of hours and I got such an overwhelming response! I wasn't quite expecting it but it really made my day! Thanks to all those who put the story on their Favourites List and/or reviewed, including Fighter 1357, batman-defeats-all, xxellabearxx, FayeHaya and Browniesarethebest, just to name a few. Thanks for all the support guys!