The thunder's loud explosion of sound caused the building to shake slightly and was followed quickly by a flash of lightning that illuminated the entire Gotham sky. Then, almost on cue, rain began to pour heavily from the midnight black sky. Inhabitants of the city were rushing across the streets quickly seeking shelter of some kind from the elements. Most were, that is.

Atop a single skyscraper on this rainy eve stood a lone figure. Though his hair was quickly become damp from the heavy rain, and the wind flew his cape about wildly, the young man appeared not to notice the battle of nature all around him. His eyes, though covered by a thin mask, stared unblinking out at the city. In a gloved hand a single jumpline was being twirled around his fingers, the motion not even noticed any longer by the boy's brain.

This solitary figure was known as the Urban Legend Robin, though to those who recognized the face outside of the brightly colored garb, knew him as Timothy Drake. The young man was currently perched on the building for a very good reason, and he had the jumpline out too for a very good reason. He was going to use them.

At some point.

He never though this moment would be so--so nerve racking. After all that he had done and been through this was the last leap both literally and figuratively. All he had to do was jump.

Easier said than done, he thought with a grimace as he move forward and stole a glance over the edge of the very high building.

Much too high, Tim felt as he scurried away from the ledge in a very un-vigilantly way. He moved backwards until he felt his back pressed against the steel door behind him that had allow him access to his current perch.

"What am I doing here?" The young man asked out-loud to himself as if expecting an answer to greet him. A clap of thunder did provide some resemble to a voice, but it bore no answer to his question.

Standing atop of a large, or HUGE in the eyes of the Boy Wonder, building in downtown Gotham, was not exactly what Timothy Drake had ever pictured himself doing. Here he was barely fifteen, wearing a brightly colored, kevlar lined, costume and a mask! How had things come to this?

He knew of course what exactly had brought him to his current lot in life, though he still did not seem completely able to grasp the reality of it all. He was Robin. After all his years of dreaming, hunting, and even some practicing, he had become who he had sought to be. And yet, as he stood here, waiting to make his first historic solo leap into the night, he found he could not.

Why now?! He mentally screamed. Why, after all I have done, after all I have suffered and sacrificed, can I not jump? It is so easy, just run and leap, Tim!

He did not move.

With a frustrated grunt, the current Robin threw his grapple hook to the ground. There was nothing to be afraid of, and if there was, it most certainly should have been Bruce. But, he had face Bruce and the Batman, hell, he had even faced Two-Face! Now all he had to do was jump.

And plummet to your death!

A groan was issued from Tim's lips at *that* mental optimism. So, maybe it was the first time he would be patrolling alone, but that was not the problem, he knew. The current uncertainty was the stupid, and Tim added HUGE, drop that stood before him. It was also his first time truly going by himself with his jumplines with no one to catch him when--*IF he corrected*--IF he fell.

He could do this.

He *had* to do this.

With another sigh, Tim bent over and grabbed his grappling hook from the place on the ground. He carefully shook off the water that had collected on it and, with it in hand, went back to the ledge. This is was christening, he knew. Once this jump was over, once this night was ended, he would be Robin in both his eyes and, he hoped, Bruce's.

Running a hand over his wet hair, the young man shook his head and turned away from the ledge walking back towards the door offering him a safe exit from the top of this building.

Lightning crackled across the sky and thunder clapped. Tim stopped walking and turned on heel staring off at the skyline watching as another lightning bolt tore across the horizon. Gotham was by no means a beautiful city, yet when the lightning lit up the metropolis the young man could see a beauty there. Granted, it was hidden by the darkness; a shadow that seemed to be a living thing that feasted off of the city, but it was there.

Robin looked at the jumpline in his hand and took a deep breath. He had to do this for the city. He knew there was a light within Gotham that could shine through the darkness. It just need some help finding its way out of the shadow.

Tim was that help.

With a smile gracing his face, the Boy Wonder sprinted to the end of the building and took that leap that he need to take. He fell downwards, faster than he truly though he would, but then--

--then he flew.

"'Come to the edge,' he said.
They said, 'We are afraid.'
'Come to the edge,' he said.
They came.
He pushed them...
And they flew.
~ Peter McWilliams

The End.

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