Memories Of Love

She comes down the stairs in a blue floral dress with pink flowers. She is wearing makeup now and he wants to tell her to go upstairs and take it off but he feels a soft squeeze of his hand from his wife. He knows better than to squash a teenagers dream.

"When did this happen Robin," he asks. "How did my little girl grow up to be such a beautiful young lady?"

"Dad," she says and he knows that she is probably embarrassed by now. He cannot help but stare at her in awe.

"Are you sure you know how to dance? You're not going to step on poor Roger's feet are you?"

"You don't even like Roger."

"That's because no one will ever be good enough for my baby girl."

"I'm not a baby anymore dad."

"Just humor him Robin," Anna says. "Trust me. When you grow up and have a son you will know how your dad feels. You still have some time. Will you just let him show you? Just a little. It's not going to hurt anyone."

"Okay," she says, and she takes his hand. She slips off her shoes and steps onto his larger feet.

"You don't have to worry daddy. It's just a dance."

"But it's YOUR first dance. I feel like I have missed so many of your firsts. You are growing up so fast. You look just like your mother you know. "

"Why are you crying daddy," she asks, as he spins her around the dance floor just as he did when she was smaller.

"Because I feel like I'm losing my baby girl."

She stands on tiptoe and leans up to kiss his cheek. "Haven't you figured out how much I adore you? I know we fight a lot but that's probably because we're so much alike."

"From your lips to God's ears," Anna mumbles.

"Daddy, it doesn't matter who I date, you'll always be my hero."

"Promise?"

"You have my word."

She steps off his feet and goes to put her shoes back on. Just before the doorbell rings, Robert hands her a little package.

"I don't know if your date got you one of these but would you consider wearing one from me?"

Her eyes sparkle as she opens the package. It was a pink corsage.

"Oh Daddy, you think of everything."

She throws her arms around him and he kisses her forehead, and then helps adjust the flower onto her wrist. When Roger arrives to pick her up, he warns him that he better have her back by ten in one piece. Robin promises her parents that she will be here and to try not to worry. As the door shuts and he watches her drive away, Anna wraps her arms around her husband.

"She'll be okay Scorpio. It's just her first dance."

"Is this how it's going to be Luv? Every time a boy wants to take her out…"

"That's just part of the territory. Try not to worry okay. I will be right here with you. "

"I'm holding you to that. "

"I thought you might," she says, and she takes his hand and leads him up to the bedroom. She had her own special way of helping him through the hard times of parenting. When he was weak, she was strong.

"Robin," he calls. "Robin, where are you?"

"Daddy, wake up," she calls to him. She is a vision in white. She looks just like she did when she was a little girl with ribbons and curls.

"Daddy please don't do this to yourself. Mom needs you. Emma needs you."

"I can't do this Luv. Not without you. You saved me Robin. When I was at my lowest, you were the one who came into my life and made me see everything different. I am your father. I was supposed to be able to save you. I spent years away from you saving the world and I could not even save my own daughter."

"It's not your fault daddy. You did not cause that explosion. It is not your fault. God, it is not your fault. "

"A parent is not supposed to bury their child Robin. How can I do this? There is nothing left of you. All that is left is a box of charred remains. There is nothing recognizable in that box."

"But there is something left daddy… the part of your memory that remembers who I was…the part of me who always knew her daddy would do anything for her…you are my hero okay. Nothing in the world could ever make me stop loving you…I might be gone in life but I will never be gone in spirit. I am counting on you to help my little girl remember me…to help my mom make it through this. Please daddy. Please wake up. I love you so much but it's not your time."

He feels her soft kiss upon his cheek and her hands gripping his face as she tries to shake him awake.

"Robert…Please God…don't do this to me. I can't lose you too."

"Anna," he says weakly, as she wraps her coat around him.

"Ambulance is on the way sweetheart. You're going to be okay."

"I'm not sure that either of us will ever be okay again. "

"We'll make it through together okay…there is nobody in this world that can help me like you can. Our love for our daughter is the same. I know how much you are hurting. I am too. We are not supposed to bury our daughter. "

"I'm sorry Luv. I'm so sorry."

She presses a soft kiss to his cheek and lets her tears mix with his own as she covered his body with hers. "Oh God Scorpio. I understand. If there is one person in the world who understands, it is me. You just…you cannot do this again. For God's sake Robert, if I had not gotten that text in time, you would probably be dead already. It is a miracle that you are still with us."

"It was Robin," he said. "I saw her. "

"Robert."

"I'm not crazy Anna. I know she is gone. I also know it was her okay. She came to me when I was delirious. She begged me to hold on for you and Emma. Said it wasn't my time."

"It's not. You have so much more living to do. Don't let our daughter down."

"Not again, luv. Not ever again."

When the ambulance came, she insisted on riding with them to the hospital…It was a slip of the tongue spoken in grief and worry…Robert did not miss it.

"He's my husband…you can't keep me away."

She holds his hand the whole ride there and keeps him awake by reminding him of all the happy times they had with their daughter. Ever since she first came into his life, she was his world. She and her mother. He would never get over that kid. Not in a million years. She had taken his heart with her when she died.

"Hi, I'm Robin. What's your name?"

The End.