January First, Happy Harbor

“You're going where?!” Robin asked.
Becca bit her lip, looking aware from his intense gaze.
“Italy,” she whispered.
“Why? Did we do something wrong? Did I do something wrong?”
“No! Nothing like that! It's just...Robin, wewe know my parents are both Italian. I am too. They met in Italy. I want to see where they met. Where they lived. I want to go so I can remember my parents. If wewe had the chance wewe would go. I know it.”
“But why didn't wewe tell me a siku before your flight?!”
“Because wewe would have wanted to go with me. wewe couldn't. Batman would never had allowed it.”
“But-”
“Robin I need to do this for me. kwa myself. I'm loosing touch with my parents. They are the only things keeping me grounded right now. Grounded in an emotional sense. Do wewe understand?”
“Yeah. I don't want wewe to go, but I understand.”
“Thank wewe Robin. I upendo you.”
Those three words struck a nerve and Robin pulled Becca into the most passionate, most intense kiss they had ever shared. When he pulled away, they touched foreheads.
“How long will it be?”
“A few weeks. Nothing longer. I promise.

Three Months Later, Happy Harbor

Robin sat out side the mountain, allowing the cold air to blow over him. The moon shone above, enchanting the forest and beach. A small wind alerted Robin of his best friend's presence.
“Hey Wally,” he murmured.
“Hey. How wewe doing?”
“Okay.”
“You still sore?”
“Yeah.”
“What'd her letter say?”
“She won't be back for another week, if that.”
“What is she doing over there? Learning how to speak Italian?”
“She's fluent already. But she says there's one zaidi thing she needs to see before she comes home.”
“What hasn't she seen? It's been three months since she left!”
“Three months, four days, twelve hours, thirty-two dakika and seven seconds. I've counted.”
“I can tell. Did she say what she needs to do?”
“Something about seeing to an old promise. But I don't know what.”
“Hmmmmm. Robin I don't want to make wewe feel bad-”
“Too late.”
“But what if she doesn't come back?”
“...Then I might just die.”

Two days later

Robin was sitting back outside in the chilly winds. He had been doing it ever since Becca left, staring at the stars and waiting for her to return. Usually he would fall asleep outside. But his heavy moyo was weak and he was about to give up when he heard a noise. And it made his moyo jump.
“Hey.”
Robin's head snapped to look behind him. Becca stood there, holding a little crystal rose in one hand. She smiled at him, looking a little worried. Robin got up, running to her. Becca was about to speak to him but was silenced with a hungry kiss. She greedily kissed back. But she also pulled away after several minutes.
“Becca,” Robin hummed.
He fingered her hair. She had grown it out and it now reached the middle of her back. He took his mask off, wanting her to see how pleased he was to see her. Becca stared up at him, falling in upendo all over again. Oh how she had missed those eyes! Becca handed him the crystal rose.
“Remember when we were kids, Robin? We promised each other to bring a special rose from a place we visited. This is for you. The crystal is a symbol of how clear and pure our upendo is. The rose is to symbolize our promise to upendo each other. This is a special rose, Robin.”
Robin looked at it, touching it with a gentle hand. He could feel the detail that had been put into it and a smile appeared on his lips.
“Where did wewe get this?”
“I made it.”
“You made this?”
“Yeah. With my hands and a few special tools. I wanted it to be special. I found someone who taught me how to make it. That's one reason it took so long. The other reason was because...well...”
Becca pulled a little box out of her pocket. She handed it to Robin, opening it. Inside was a little snow globe. But this one had a little Haley's Circus inside. Two sets of graves were placed in it and there two little black haired people dancing in a little mduara, duara to the song “Letters” kwa Stellar Kart. Robin looked at Becca. She seemed nervous but waiting for him to say something. Robin took the two gifts, put them in a salama place, and took Becca in his arms. For a minute, he just held her, thankful to have his little bird in his arms once again. After awhile, Robin pulled away enough so he could give her an intimate, take-your-breath-away kiss. When he pulled away, he looked down, into her eyes.
“Becca. These gifts wewe made are wonderful. But I would never have cared about them. I just wanted you. I wanted my little Sparrow back.”
“I cared. I know what wewe wanted. I wanted the same thing. But I also cared too much to not pass up this opportunity. Every little trinket symbolizes something. And I wanted those ones to symbolize our first kept promise. Now we can say that our upendo is trustworthy and strong.”
“I believe you. But inayofuata time, just go to another town.”
“Okay. I won't fly so far away again.”
“Good. And if wewe do?”
“Then know that I will always return.”