Past is the only thing that smells sweet – Edward Thomas

1985

There wasn't much he remembered, just a few vague hazy shapes. He was siting in the backseat of his mother's car. It was snowing and he was belted in. His mother was driving him home after picking him up from daycare. It was nearly Christmas and Silent Night was playing on the radio. It was evening and the skies were dark.

"Look Robin, it's starting to snow."

He remembered seeing his mother's beautiful brown eyes in the rear view mirror smiling back at him. Her hand pointing out towards the windshield as tiny snowflakes fluttered down against the glass. Sitting there holding the stuffed dog he called Scraps, he gazed out in wonder as the snow continued to fall down.

Then...

The lights, nearly blinding were in front of them. The loud blow of a horn and his mother gripping the wheel and trying to turn. He snapped his eyes shut, clutching to his stuffed animal as he heard the tires screech and his mother scream.

The next sound he heard was broken glass.

The next thing he remembered was looking up in the ambulance. The two paramedics staring down at him, their gloved hands being gentle. He remembered the sound of the siren and how sore his arms felt.

"Where's my mamma?"

He asked suddenly feeling very scared. His neck was in something that made it impossible to move. He stared up at the roof of the inside of the cab, and kept hearing the crackle of a radio. His tiny hands tried to reach and he found that Scraps was no longer there. Laying there, he felt completely terrified, and for the first time and certainly not the last...completely alone.

Present Day

Standing on the rumbling platform, Blake swallowed hard as the waterfalls surrounded him and showered down. Steadying himself he held onto his bag before finally the floor leveled and became still. Staring around in wonder, he knew exactly what Bruce had wanted. This was his legacy and he was the only one who was willing to take over. He wouldn't let him die in vane, he wouldn't allow it. Slowly he heard the rumble of machines beneath him when a plate lifted several feet away and a cabinet slowly rose.

Staring he looked at one of Bruce's suits.

Slowly putting down his bag, he took a deep breath and walked over to it. Reaching over, he touched the hardened vinyl and felt goosebumps begin to break over his arms. Feeling completely overwhelmed he ran his hand through his shortened hair, mostly out of force of nervous habit and bit down on his lip.

"Okay..."

Turning, he knelt down and unzipped his bag. His instructions were in here and anything that Bruce had wanted him to know. Along with a few personal items he knew this was all he had before starting this very dangerous lonely life he felt committed to. Unzipping the side pocket he reached in and took the one thing it held. Feeling a dull ache in his chest, he picked it up and placed it in his hand.

His wedding ring.

He hadn't worn it and nearly four years and knew that he needed this small little familiar comfort more than anything. Slipping it on, he sighed and flexed his fingers. He never thought that something would feel so awkward and out of place, but he knew it would take some getting used to again.

"If you can hear me Lucy...I need you more than anything right now."

Standing, he picked his bag up and went down the small platform over to where the desk and computers were. Sitting, he placed his bag down and took out his sketch pad and pens. Lucas Fox was name recommended to him and he would be meeting with him soon. If anyone could help him, he suspected it would be him.

"Okay, here goes nothing..."

Slowly he began to drag his pen across the paper, trying to design whatever symbol he wanted to be.

Four Years Ago

Blake was working late. Sitting behind his desk, he was trying to tackle some of his paperwork before he headed home. Lately he had been putting in long hours and hoped once he was finished with all of this he could start going back to his regular hours and patrolling again. Drumming his pencil against the stack of papers he had, he felt discouraged.

Just then two smooth hands gently wrapped around his shoulders before slowly rubbing upward and slipping across his eyes. Smiling, he right away could smell the faint scent of perfume. His grin widening, he leaned back in his chair.

"Guess who?"

"Um, Scarlett Johansson?"

The hands gently came off his face as he felt his wife walk around. Wrinkling her nose she made a face at him.

"Very funny."

Staring up at her, Blake looked up at his wife of six years. The two had known each other even longer than that. Both had come from broken home, and both had become orphans at a very young age. Lucy still looked just as beautiful as when he met her when she was sixteen at that rec hall in downtown Gotham. Standing at average height, her long black hair pooled down to the shoulders of her gray sweater, and her big blue eyes seemed to sparkle underneath her thick eyelashes. Placing her hands on her hips, Lucy smiled and sat down on one of his knees. Putting his arms around her waist, Blake smiled as she leaned down and gently kissed his forehead.

"And to what do I owe this wonderful late night visit?"

Lucy stretched out and put his hands limply around his neck.

"Thought you might be hungry, brought you some dinner."

Reaching down for a second she placed a white paper bag that was all ready grease stained at the bottom on his desk. Leaning down again, she picked up a cup of coffee from a local fast food joint and placed it on his desk as well. Staring at, Blake raised his eyebrow.

"You keep bringing me these little surprises I'm going to gain a lot of weight."

"Yeah well, I can't help it. I would love to bring my husband a nice home cooked meal but he's always working."

"He sounds terrible."

"Yeah he's pretty awful, have to be in that apartment all alone, lay in that big bed all by myself..."

Blake smiled as he squeezed her tighter. Just then two fellow officers whistled as they walked by and waved at Lucy.

"Hey Lucy!"

One of them called. Blake smiled as Lucy looked over and smiled back.

"Hey boys."

"Say, when are you going to leave this bum and come run away with us?"

"Sorry fellows, I'm handcuffed to him."

Lucy said holding up her hand with her wedding ring. Both men laughed as they headed down to the soda machine. Turning, Lucy smiled before looking up at the clock.

"Say, when do you think you're getting off?"

"Not till eleven..."

Frowning, Lucy used her hands to smooth out the shirt of his uniform.

"Shame, I could get you off earlier than that."

Grinning, Blake pressed his forehead against hers.

"I'll try and get this paperwork done in a hurry then..."

Present Day

Blake snapped out of his thoughts.

Looking down at his sketch he saw on the desk he had used several different pens. Black, green, red, and yellow. Sitting back in his chair he held out his sketch before looking over at Bruce's uinform.

He had to do this right.

He had to.