As the snow continued to fall, the Batmobile prowled the streets looking for trouble to right. "This snow's gonna send everybody running home tonight to wait for Santa," Robin said tugging his hat down to the top edge of his mask. "Don't think there's gonna be much for us to do tonight, big guy." Batman stared resolutely forward. "Maybe not. We'll see..."
They cruised past the uptown shopping district. All of the shops there were already closed for the holiday. Bored, Robin was glancing absently about when a movement caught his eyes. "Circle the block, Batman," he said pressing his nose to the window to look back.
"What's up?" Batman asked as he turned at the corner.
"Don't know, " Robin replied. "Probably nothing...but I thought I saw somebody sneaking around that gift store back there."
Batman dimmed the lights as the Batmobile came back around the corner. They pulled up to the store, both of them half-expecting to find a burglar trying to break into the store. What they found instead was a little girl sitting in the doorway shivering and crying.
Robin jumped out of the car first knowing that Batman's appearance would no doubt frighten the girl. "Hey, little miss," he said with a bright smile, "what are you doing out here at this time of night?"
The little girl looked up. "I know you," she said wiping her nose and standing up, "you're Robin! I saw you on TV!"
"That's me, sweetie!" Robin replied taking a short playful bow. "What's your name?"
The little girl looked over at Batman who had gotten out of the Batmobile and was watching from the other side of the car, then she looked back at Robin who had knelt down to her level. "Sara, " she said shyly. "My name is Sara."
Robin pulled off his Santa hat and placed it on her head. "What are you doing out here alone, Sara?"
The little girl looked down kicking a bit of the gathering snow around with the toe of her boot. "It's almost Christmas," she said sadly, a hot tear forming in her eye, "an' I been so busy playin' an' stuff that I...I forgot to get Mommy a present..."
"So you came out here to get her one?"
Sara nodded. "I sneaked out and came down here with my own money," she rattled her pocket full of change, "to get her one. But everything's closed...an' it's cold...an' I'm lost...I don't know how to get home..."
Sara leaned forward into Robin's arms and he picked her up. "Don't worry, sweetheart, we'll get you home." Robin carried her into the Batmobile. settling her on his lap in the passenger seat. Batman climbed back into the car and reached for the radio microphone.
Sara glanced doe-eyed over at Batman. "I'm sorry to be botherin' you, Mr. Batman," she said in a tiny voice.
Batman looked thoughtfully at her face for a moment. "It's okay, little one," he said looking up to meet Robin's gaze," this is why Robin and I are out here...to help people..."
Robin pulled another candy cane from his vest pocket and gave it to Sara while Batman called police headquarters to see if anyone had called in a missing persons report on Sara. And indeed someone had he was told.
"She lives a few blocks to the west," Batman said as he returned the microphone to its cradle. He turned the engine over and pulled out onto the now snow-covered street.
Soon, the Batmobile pulled up to a small house a few blocks away. There was a Gotham City Police car parked in front of the house.
"That's it, Mr. Batman!" Sara said excitedly. "That's my house right there!"
"I know, honey," he said pulling in to park in front of the house.
Robin carried Sara, who was still wearing his Santa hat, up the walkway; Batman hung back a few steps. The front door opened and a policeman stepped out. "...yes, ma'am, we'll let you know as soon as we..." he stopped in mid-statement as he noticed the newcomers.
"What the...?!?"
Another cop and a teary-eyed woman in a bathrobe came through the door.
"Mommy!" Sara cried as Robin handed her into her mother's outstretched arms.
"Sara! Oh baby, where have you been!?!" her mother cried as she hugged her daughter tightly to he chest. "I was so worried! Oh God!"
The first cop nodded to his partner. "Go call it in, Mitch," he said with a broad grin. "Another gold star for the Caped Crusaders! Good work, guys!"
"Just luck, officer," Batman said quietly. "We just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
The policeman looked over at the mother and child hugging and crying in the doorway. "Whatever works, Batman."
"I guess..." Batman replied wistfully. "C'mon, Robin, let's go."
Sara noticed the two of them leaving and leapt down from her mother's arms. "Robin, wait!" She ran up to him holding out the hat.
"You forgot your hat."
He took it and promptly put it back on top of her head. "You keep it, gorgeous, I think it looks even better on you than it did on me! Don't you agree, Batman?"
"Without a doubt."
"Thank you for bringing me home," Sara said. "I'm sorry I caused everybody so much trouble. I just wanted to get a present for my Mommy..."
Batman glanced over at the woman standing in the doorway with the policeman. "I think you just did, sweetheart. Merry Christmas."
Batman slid back into the car. Robin bent down and gave Sara a final hug. "Be good, kiddo," he said with a jaunty grin.
"Merry Christmas, Robin!"
The Batmobile pulled away from the house and back into the night. "Snow's really coming down now," Batman said. "Guess we might as well call it a night. The Commissioner can give a call if we're needed..."
"Yeah," Robin agreed as he stifled a yawn. "And besides, I'm all out of candy canes."
Batman allowed himself a fleeting smile. "At least you got rid of that silly hat."
"I knew you'd say something like that." An impish grin blossomed on the boy's face as he reached under his seat and pulled out another red-and-white Santa hat, this one with a tinkling little silver bell on its tip. "Boy scouts and Boy Wonders are always prepared! Now home, Jeeves, I think I hear them sleigh bells a-ringin' in the distance!"
"You're incorrigible," Batman said as he turned towards the highway that would take them back to the suburban mansion they called home.
Robin nestled back in his seat and closed his eyes. "If you think that now," he said ominously, "wait 'til you see what I got y ou for Christmas..."
"I shudder to think."
Robin shrugged again and pulled his cape around him for the ride home. He smiled and began to hum, "...doo...doo...doo...doo...doo...doo...doo...doo...doo...doo...doo...doo...Batman!"
Batman sighed and gunned the Batmobile through the gathering snow towards home.
Batman and Robin are © 2006 and ™ DC Comics
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