Chapter Text
Tim moves silently between the rooftops in the Narrows, cape flaring behind him as he comes to a rolling stop on an abandoned apartment complex. His grapple disengages with a soft thunk, as he pulls up a scan of the building's interior.
Still nothing, he thinks, brows furring in something akin to frustration. But the signal is definitely coming from inside.
He checks the scrambled frequency again, makes a mental note of the same intermittent blip. Someone is broadcasting on a private channel with old GCPD encryption. It’s subtle, almost undetectable, but not random. And if Tim is right, it has something to do with the missing kid from two nights ago.
“Red Robin, status,” Tim hears Bruce’s voice come alive on his private channel.
Tim rolls his eyes, if Bruce is in then that means it’s only a matter of time before his siblings start to encroach on his secure line. “I’m fine, B.” He says, “I’m on 5th and Kenny, zeroing in on a signal from a case I’m working on at an abandoned apartment complex. No hostiles detected, just going in and--”
“Try not to die,” Jason’s voice snickers, voice rough with static. “You get dramatic when you’re injured.”
“Dramatic?” Steph’s voice follows soon after. “Mr. Collect the head of the top crime bosses’s lieutenants and start beef with a 15 year old is calling Red Robin dramatic?” Tim would really appreciate Steph having his back if it wasn’t for--you know--his siblings making home in his private line.
“I literally had just risen from the dead, and I never claimed I didn’t have a flair for theatrics.” Jason continues. “Red on the other hand likes to spout his genius whenever he can like the last time he got stabbed he didn’t bleed over the interior of my safe house and then pass out with no warning.”
“He what?” Bruce snaps, causing Tim to wince.
“Thanks, Hood,” Tim groans. “Really appreciate it.”
“He was going to find out anyway.”
“Like the time when Red got shot in the arm and tried to hide it during family movie night,” Dick so helpfully adds.
“Different circumstances Nightwing, but also thanks, for bringing that up.” Tim mutters.
“Get wrecked,” Steph laughs.
“Look. I’m just doing some recon, maybe some sleuthing since there’s no bodies.”
“There’s been some chatter around the Narrows. Wait until backup arrives before engaging.” Bruce says, causing Tim to roll his eyes.
“Yeah, not happening. I’m perfectly capable of checking something out on my own.”
“Don’t you miss when your children actually listen to you, B?” Dick snorts.
“Okay, listen, I have like a million reports to go through before Wednesday and I really would like to check out my lead before heading back to my apartment and getting started on those. So, if it will make you feel better, B, I’ll stay on an open line with Hood and check in right after.” Tim sighs as there’s an explosion of voices on the other end with talks of favoritism and betrayal.
Dick and Damian are on patrol together tonight and if he doesn’t want one person interfering he definitely doesn’t want two. Not to mention, if he has to hear Damian criticize him for every little thing he does, he’s going to tackle him off the nearest roof.
Cass is off… somewhere dealing with what she says is a world altering multiverse collision or else he would have chosen her. Duke is, and Tim says this with as much jealousy he can muster, asleep, so he’s out of the picture. And he loves Steph, he truly does, but the last time they patrolled together he laughed so hard he popped a stitch and then forgot he was on a stakeout and they ended up getting tacos. And Bruce is just…Bruce. Which leaves Jason. Jason, who as soon as he’s not being scrutinized by the rest of his family, will gladly let him do what he needs to without acting as a babysitter.
“Red-- ”
“Red Robin, out.” Tim says, finally switching out of the channel. He opens a new one and texts Jason the channel number.
“Careful Red, shit like that is going to demote you from B’s 4th favorite to his 5th.” Jason’s voice greets only moments later.
“I’m not particularly--4th favorite?”
Jason scoffs, like it’s obvious, “You think Batgirl, Signal, and Original Boy Wonder have any competition with the lowly rest of us?”
“He literally still let you back into the family after your murder spree but pop off I guess.” Tim snorts. “Look, I’m going to mute the line but I’ll check in when I’m done. I’m literally going to be in and out. 15 minutes tops.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be here. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Jason says, and Tim can just imagine the shit eating grin he’s wearing before Tim mutes the channel.
Finally, finally, blissful silence. Tim lets out a steady breath before climbing down the fire escape on the side of the building, letting himself in where the signal loops. The apartment is…well…unnatural. The air is stale and cold, and the floorboards creak when Tim breathes on them. He knows the complex has been vacant for months now, which is why he finds it so interesting to see it almost well lived in.
There’s a newspaper clipping from two days ago, along with dirty dishes scattered around the place. Tim clocks the spread of blankets on the couch, and the lack of dust filling the air. Again, he checks the signal, and it still comes through, pulsing exactly at 90 seconds.
He goes to make his way into what he guesses is a bedroom when his instincts scream at him to turn. He does, barely having the time to duck as something metal slams into the wall where his head had been. Easily, he rolls into a crouch, bo staff already extending with a hiss.
In front of him, having just excited the bathroom, is a woman. Mid twenties maybe, brown hair frizzing around her head. Her clothes are torn, and blood streaked, but it’s her eyes that stop him. Wide, terrified, and glowing blue. “Don’t--don’t come any closer!” She gasps, and then looks around like she’s afraid he brought back up. “You shouldn’t be here.” She whines.
Tim keeps his posture low, calm. “I’m not here to hurt you. My name is Red Robin. Are you hurt?”
She shakes her head violently. “You don’t understand. He’s making me do it! I didn’t want to--” She grimaces at something, hands coming up to grip at her hair.
“Okay, okay,” Tim says gently, collapsing his bo staff. He clicks it back into place in its holster, and slowly stands to his full height with his hands in the air. “Just breathe. I can help you. I can get you out of here.”
Tears stream down her face as she backs away, her hands trembling. “I’m sorry. I--I tried to warn you.”
Her hand flashes upward, a sickly blue sigil blooming in the air between them. Tim rushes to the side, hoping to dodge whatever blast she has planned, but he guesses he must not have been quick enough. But it’s not heat he feels. No pain. Just… pressure. And then--in a cliche of all cliches--everything goes dark.
Jason checks his watch as he surveys the Gotham skyline from where he’s camped out on a rooftop. He’s sans helmet, having it seated innocently off to his side while he takes a smoke break. He’s watching a group of college kids stumble out of a club, and then watches as the sober one demands keys from everyone before hailing a cab.
He checks his watch again before switching back on to Tim’s channel. “Red, 15 minutes are up, tell me you didn’t die.” Jason waits 40 seconds for an answer that doesn’t come. “Hey, Babybird don’t make me sick Batman on your, or worse, Nightwing.”
Still nothing.
Jason frowns, pushing himself off the railing on the roof's ledge and grabbing his helmet. He slides it on, hoping he’ll get something before he has to contact Bruce. When another 60 seconds of uncomfortable silence fills the air, he finally decides to bite the bullet. “Hey, B? You still have Red Robin’s location?”
Dick’s voice cuts in a second later, unusually sharp. “He’s not responding?”
“No,” Jason’s already moving, heading for the edge of the roof and firing off a grapple line towards the next block, in the direction of The Narrows.
“He said he was at 5th and Kenny looking at an abandoned apartment complex--”
“I’ll go--” Dick says, cutting Bruce off.
“I’m closer,” Jason grits out. “And already en route.”
There’s a slight pause, then Damian’s voice, trying way too hard to sound casual, “If Nightwing goes, I go. This mission was flawed from the beginning. Red Robin should not have been alone.”
“Yeah, like it’s so out of the realm of possibilities for one of us to take solo on a case.” Jason mutters sarcastically.
“Everyone stand down,” Bruce’s voice cuts in, firm with no room for argument. “Nightwing and Robin will head to the cave. Pick up Spoiler, she’s dealing with a bank robbery downtown. Hood, you’re closest. Check it out but do not engage any hostiles. I’m en route.”
Jason hears Dick and Damian grumble out a quick ‘copy’ as his boots slam onto another rooftop. He clicks off the comms channel, letting the silence overtake him. Because he can feel it. Something is wrong. Tim’s good. Annoying, yes. Cocky even? Yeah. But he’s good. Careful. Controlled. When things go wrong for Tim, they go wrong spectacularly. Jason might deny it to his second dying breath, but Tim’s been the cause of plenty near heart attacks.
Jason reaches the apartment complex just as the skies start to darken with a deep color. There’s a broken window Tim used to enter, that Jason makes use of. He moves carefully through the space, eyes scanning the room with his pistol drawn. No movement.
He kicks over some shards of glass from a fallen vase, making note of the slight drag marks on the floor, like someone had been knocked off their feet. And then he hears it. So soft at first, barely audible.
Crying.
Jason follows the sound down a narrow hallway, until he sees something scattered near the foot of a doorway. He couches down immediately, fingers brushing over the Red Robin suit. No blood, no visible tears, but Tim wouldn’t leave this behind.
“Red?” Jason calls, voice low but urgent. “Come on, talk to me.”
No answer, but more soft sniffling from the other side of the closed door across the hall. Jason rises, crossing the space in three strides. He gently presses his ear to the door, placed isolated in the space of a long wall--a closet. Up close, the crying sounds louder now, accompanied with broken little hiccups.
Jason eases the door open slowly. Quickly, he pushes up the safety and tucks his gun quickly in his holster at the sight of a child, tucked in the far corner of the closet, knees hugged to his chest. He can’t be older than five, four maybe, shivering and terrified as he looks up at Jason with wide watery blue eyes as he tries to make himself smaller.
Jason lowers to a crouch, hands raised slowly. “Hello. It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.”
The boy sniffs, voice cracking. “I--I broke it. I’m sorry.”
“Broke what, kid?” Jason asks with a tilt of his head.
“The vase.” the boy hiccups. “It fell when I got scared and--and mommy and daddy put me in the closet when I’m bad.”
Jason blinks, stunned. “They…put you in the closet?”
The boy nods. “So I learn how--how to behave like a big boy.”
Jason clenches his jaw, the implications churning in his gut. Slowly, he lifts his hands up, pulling off the helmet. His kids, the ones in Crime Alley, know they don’t have to fear the Red Hood, have even taken up to calling him mama on occasion. But he’s never seen this kid, he doesn’t know what the kid thinks. For all he knows he could think Jason is here to punish him for being ‘bad’.
He offers the kid a soft smile, shifting a little closer, keeping his voice soft. “You’re not in trouble, you didn’t do anything wrong, okay? I promise.”
“I don’t have to stay?” He asks, voice a touch hopeful. “The closet is scary.”
Jason decides that Bruce and his no killing rule be damned. He’s going to get this kid situated, report back about Tim, and make a quick pit stop. “You don’t have to stay. What’s your name?”
The kid swipes at his eyes, sitting up straighter. “Timothy Jackson Drake, sir. Heir to Drake industries.”
Jason’s lungs stop working. And he stares. “...Tim?”
The boy nods. “Yes, sir.”
Jason sits back on his heels, mind racing. But yeah, now that he knows to look, those are Tim’s eyes. Round and blue, it’s Tim face. Same chin, same nose, even if it is a little smaller. Or--a lot smaller.
“Okay,” Jason says. “Okay. We’re going to figure this out.”
He holds a hand out, and Tim takes it timidly. The first thing Jason does is dig through a broken dresser in the master bedroom, finding a large ‘Gotham Knights’ t-shirt. He helps Tim into, careful with the sleeves that fall well past his tiny hands. Once he’s got Tim situated enough, he hooks into Bruce’s comm. “Hey B. So we got a situation. Protocol….” Jason pauses, nearly rolling his eyes. He decides he can’t curse Tim’s name in his current state so he decides to curse Steph’s name instead. “...Kids Gone Wild.”
“You mean--”
“Yeah.”
“ Approaching now.” Bruce says.
“Do you know who Batman is?” Jason asks Tim, scooping up the bundle of Red Robin gear.
Tim nods vehemently, the first instance of a smile actually making its way onto his face. “Yes!” Tim says, his bare feet hopping excitedly on the wood floor. “He’s a superhero!”
“Yeah he is,” Jason smiles. “I work with him.”
Tim frowns in confusion. “You’re not Robin?”
Jason jerks, as if he’d been shot. Yeah, of course. Batman and Robin. That's what the kid would know. Jason takes a deep breath, steeling himself. “No, not Robin,” He tries for a smile. “My name is Red Hood. I--”
A soft swoosh envelops the room as the full authority of Batman lands in a crouch in front of the window. Bruce raises to his full height. But instead of being intimidated, Tim squeals, drawing Bruce’s attention. “Batman!” Tim squeaks. “You’re Batman!”
Bruce’s mouth twitches, “Yes,” He says, kneeling down as Tim bounces up to him. “I am. And you must be…?” he asks, voice gentle.
“Timothy Jackson Drake!”
Bruce flinches, only slightly, unnoticeable unless trained to look for it. But it makes sense, Tim wasn’t going to call himself a Wayne, not if in his mind, he wasn’t one. “It’s good to meet you, Tim.”
“You too sir!” Tim nods, eyes wide.
Jason watches, arms crossed, as Bruce holds out his hands. “Can I carry you, Tim?”
Tim hesitates for a split second, then nods and walks forward, lifting his arms. Bruce picks him up with a level of gentleness that doesn’t match the suit. All Bruce. Careful. Looking at Tim like he’s holding something precious, fragile. And maybe he is. Bruce has never been able to raise a child--a baby-- despite his orphan addiction.
He can see it now. Bruce is going to treasure it, even with the circumstances being what they are. And looking at Tim, little Tim who’s looking at Bruce like he hung the moon, one tiny hand clutching the edge of the cape, Jason knows he’s not going to be normal about it either. God, he doesn’t even want to imagine how Dick will react.
“You take him,” Jason says, handing over Tim’s suit as well, “I still need to go pick up my bike.”
Bruce nods, voice softer than Jason’s heard all night. “I got it,” He says, “We’ll rendezvous back at the Cave, I’ll alert the others.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jason smirks, reaching for his helmet still on the ground. “Get all your Tim time in now. Because Nightwing is going to be insufferable.”
Bruce actually laughs at this, nodding in agreement. Jason makes sure to say bye to Tim, and tell him he’s going to see him at the Batcave soon. Tim nods, eyes shining with a type of emotion Jason can’t place, and then him and Batman are gone. Leaving Jason to follow.
By the time Jason pulls into the Batcave, the entire family is already there.
Dick’s pacing, suit already discarded and swapped with seats and a shirt. Duke and Steph are hovering by the monitors. Jason thinks it makes sense, that someone would go and wake up Duke, it is a whole family event. The only reason Alfred isn’t here is because of his annual trip to London. Jason finds Damian planted squarely in front of the main computer, arms folded, looking like he wants to punch someone but isn’t sure who.
As Jason rolls in, everyone’s gaze shoots over to him, watching as Jason parks the bike and removes his helmet.
“...well?” Dick asks, coming to a halt.
“Good news. We know where Tim is.” Jason says, trying not to find any satisfaction from Damian’s scowl or Steph’s what-the-fuck look.
“ Jason.” Dick stresses, and Jason does feel a little bit bad, because they don’t know what happened to Tim. They don’t know that, while not great, the situation isn’t dire right now. All they know is that Tim went missing.
“Look. He--” Jason starts, but doesn’t get to finish as the Batmobile rolls in. Jason doesn’t know how he beat Bruce to the cave but figures it’s not too bad as the canopy lifts up and Bruce steps out, followed carefully with him turning to lift out the very small, very wiggly bundle in his arms.
Tim blinks at the bright lights of the cave, and immediately tries to appear taller in Bruce’s arms. “Hello.” He says, voice soft but clear. “Thank you for having me in your…uh…cave.”
Duke blinks, eye brows shooting up. “Is that…?”
Steph looks at Bruce, to Tim, to Jason, and then back to Bruce. “We knew that protocol would come in handy.”
Damian doesn’t say anything but even he looks confused, and glances at Dick to gauge how he should react. And Dick? Dick’s eyes go comically wide, his jaw dropping. “Oh my god.”
Tim looks up at Bruce, suddenly nervous. “Did I say it wrong?”
Bruce shakes his head. “No, Tim. You didn’t say anything wrong. They’re just excited to meet you.”
Tim nods, body relaxing just a little, leaning into Bruce’s shoulder. Then Dick breaks into a grin so wide it might actually crack his face. “ Bruce!” He stage whispers. “Tim!” Then Dick practically teleports across the cave and wraps them both in a hug, somehow managing to kiss Tim on the head and pull out his phone at the same time. “Smile!” Click. “Smile but with jazz hands!” Click. “Okay, now one where you’re holding this batarang like you’re going to throw it!” Click. “Now--”
Jason stalks over, arms crossed. “Okay Dick wing, chill. You’re gonna scare him.”
“I’m documenting precious family memories,” Dick shoots back. “I only met him like this once but--” Dick’s gaze flickers, the corners of his mouth falling.
“Yeah well,” Jason huffs, trying to pivot. “When he changes back don’t expect me to back you up when he finds out you have baby pictures.”
Tim giggles, tiny fingers curling in Bruce’s cape, grabbing their attention, causing Dick to grin again. “Worth it.”
The others slowly start to approach, creating a small crowd. “He is…small.” Damian says, arms folded.
Jason quirks a brow. “What? You thought Tim would skip the toddler stage?”
Damian huffs. “I am merely stating that Drake is smaller than the age appropriate demographic.”
“Okay,” Bruce says finally, setting Tim down gently. “Let’s give him some space.”
Tim immediately toddles a few steps forward, craning his neck to see everything. “Whoa.” He says, eyes wide. He looks like he wants to ask something, and glances at the others, but he keeps his mouth closed.
Duke is the first one to react. “The cave is super big, want a closer look?”
Tim nods, wide eyed, then pauses, folding his hands in front of him. “I have to ask permission first. That’s polite.”
Bruce crouches beside him, one hand steady on his back. “You don’t have to ask to look around. From here on out this is your space too.”
The kid's face splits into a beaming smile, thanking Bruce before racing over towards the monitors with Duke trailing behind him, answering every question like it’s the most important one he’s ever heard. The others watch them go with a gentle smile. However, the moment is seemingly shattered, by Bruce who mentions needing to run blood work. It’s logical, makes sense. It’s procedure. Everyone knows this, but no one moves.
Jason is the first to speak, crossing his arms. “Not it.”
Dick holds up his hands in a Not-Touching-That manner. “I’m not poking baby Tim with a needle. It’s borderline criminal.”
“Same.” Steph agrees. “I vote we test Bruce’s blood instead. As a control.”
And Steph probably would have done it, and Jason would not have stood in her way, had it not been for the harsh “Tch.” that Damian lets out. “Pathetic. I’ll do it.”
“Okay.”
“Sure.”
“Works for me.”
Damian’s face sets itself in a hard line as he takes steps towards the medbay to set up the area. They’ve all done it hundreds of times before, and it doesn’t take him long, so he’s just waiting by the cots for Duke and Tim to finish their impromptu tour.
They arrive a couple minutes later, announced by the loud laughter Tim lets out. Duke strides into the center of the cave, swinging his arms back and forth in the air with Tim perched on them, making a whooshing sound as he brings him towards the center of the family.
“Little man got a kick out of the display of costumes,” Duke smiles, handing Tim off to Dick’s grabbing hands.
Dick takes him eagerly, perching Tim on his hip. “Oh man! I bet they looked so cool!”
Tim nods, “They were pretty.” He says, one arm holding tightly to the back of Dick’s shirt while the other rests close to his chest. Tim looks at them and then leans in to whisper something in Dick’s ear, making him laugh warmly.
“Yeah, he is pretty cool, isn’t he?” He asks in a stage whisper, gently walking forward. Tim notices immediately where he is, because of course he does, and his grip on Dick’s shirt tightens as he looks at sterile tools at the ready to draw Tim’s blood. “It’s okay,” Dick soothes, rubbing his hand up and down Tim’s back. “We just need to take a little blood okay? Just to make sure you’re not hurt on the inside”
Tim nods, but his fear is blatant on his face. “Okay.” He says in the world's smallest voice. Steph audibly whines at it, looking on at the scene like she was watching her favorite character in a horror movie about to die.
Even Bruce looks sad at the prospect of baby Tim getting his blood drawn. “It might hurt a little, but we’ll be quick.”
Tim hesitates and then seems to somehow curl more into himself. “Will it hurt like with mommy and daddy?”
The room seems to pause collectively for just a moment before they all begin to look at each other uncertainly. Dick instinctively pulls Tim closer, hugging him tight. Tim sees no problem with this and snuggles into Dick’s chest for protection. Jason sees Duke and Steph glance at each other in worried confusion. Damian doesn’t move, but Jason can see how tightly he seems to be holding onto the syringe now.
Bruce is the first to recover, speaking with a low but steady voice. “No,” He says, and walks closer to Dick so he can place a protective hand on Tim’s back. “It will not hurt like that.” Never mind they weren’t entirely sure what kind of hurt that looked like. “It will never look like that here.”
God. Jason prays it’s not what he’s thinking. What they all are thinking. Jason studies Tim, baby Tim. It’s hard to connect the kid Dick is setting down on the medical bed to the 22 year old Jason knows. Even back then, the youngest Jason ever really knew Tim was when he was fifteen. He was a snarky snot nosed Robin who knew how to wield his words just as well as that stupid bo staff.
But this Tim? The toddler who’s sitting on the medical bed curling in on himself, swinging his legs nervously and looking up at everyone with pure fear in his eyes? Is a whole other person. And he’s not the only one who sees it too. Duke is by the threshold, arms crossed and jaw tensed, Steph is in one of the arm chairs, leg nervously bouncing up and down. Not to even mention Bruce and Dick. Dick is by Tim’s side, holding his hand and looking damn near in tears as Damian approaches with the needle. Bruce watches over all three of them with a looming presence.
Damian makes sure to be quick and efficient, yet when the needle pierces the skin Tim lets out a small whimper, but other than that doesn’t make a sound. He scrunches his eyes closed, holding his breath as tears run down Tim’s cheek, but even then he doesn’t move. He stays still, as if someone taught him to be quiet when it hurts.
Jason’s heart clenches, the implication washing over him in a wave of negativity.
Damian makes quick work as soon as the vial is filled. He pulls the needle out quickly, pressing a cotton ball over the spot and then taping it in place with a bandaid with a lot of tender care that Jason didn’t even think the kid was capable of. It seems, even Damian is affected by the chokehold baby Tim has on the family.
Dick moves in as soon as Damian takes a step back, voice bright and sweet. “ Baby, you were so brave!” He says, scooping Tim back up. “You know what that means?”
Tim wipes his face with the back of his hand. “What?”
“It’s definitely time for a sweet treat!”
“Wait--” Bruce starts, but is immediately cut off by Dick who levels him a fierce mama bear look.
“Because you went through something that was really scary. And you’ve been so brave about it all night so even though it’s late I think you need a treat.”
Tim fiddles with his hands nervously. “Can I have applesauce, please?”
Dick looks at Bruce with a raised eyebrow, who gives in and nods in return. “Applesauce, cookies, fruit, anything you want baby, I’ll get it for you.”
“Yes please,” Tim says politely, resting his head on Dick’s shoulder.
As they leave the cave, Jason glances at Damian, who’s still standing stiffly beside the table, glaring at the floor. Jason doesn’t say anything, but nudges his shoulder lightly as he walks by, causing Damian to turn his glare to Jason before handing the vial of blood to Bruce who sits himself in front of the batcomputer. The family watches silently as it analyzes Tim’s blood.
“Nothing on the out,” Bruce confirms, once the computer is done with its analysis and beeps about it loudly.
“Great,” Jason groans. “Could be magical?”
“Uh,” Duke begins, confused. “Tim turned into a child. I thought that was pretty magically self explanatory.”
Steph answers first. “Not always. Lex Luthor has been known to do some weird freaky shit with his experiments and honestly I haven’t seen a thing Ivy’s pollens can’t do. And I mean, if you count that mind swap thing a few years ago, Tim turned into a cat and Damian turned into a dog with no magical involvement.”
“Not to mention, this could still just be a meta ability, and not magic itself.” Jason continues.
“I’ll call Zatanna.” Bruce sighs, spinning around to face his children, deciding that the impromptu mini lesson is finished. “Until we know more, we wait it out. Monitor him, keep him comfortable. Does anyone know what Tim was investigating before this happened?”
Duke shakes his head. “He mentioned something about a signal, an encrypted frequency, asked me to keep an ear out for it during my day patrols but I didn’t hear anything.”
Steph perks up, “He wanted to prove it was connected to a missing kid, but didn’t have enough evidence yet. He didn’t want to bring it to you until he was sure.”
“Alright,” Bruce nods. “Jason, I want you to take point on it tomorrow. Go through his notes at the Nest and see if it could be connected to the transformation.” Bruce doesn’t even wait for Jason to acknowledge the request. Probably knowing that anything that sounds like an order or demand will be met with a ‘Fuck you’ and the middle finger, even if Jason had been planning on doing it anyway on his own. “Tonight, everyone rests.”
Everyone nods their affirmative, the weight of exhaustion finally poking through their worry and adrenaline. Then Duke awkwardly clears his throat. “Are we…going to address the elephant in the room?” Everyone looks at him. “The thing he said about getting hurt. His mom and dad.”
Jason feels a twist in his gut. “He’s never said anything like that before.”
From the corner, Steph sighs. “He’s mentioned neglect. Sometimes. But not abuse, nothing like that.”
Duke’s brows furrow. “I mean, he’s always been private, sure, but this…this sounds like more than neglect.”
“He mentioned a closet.” Jason says suddenly, surprising himself, but it had just come back to him. “When I landed on scene. He put himself in the closet not because he was scared, but because he accidentally broke a vase and ‘that's where mommy and daddy put him when he’s bad.’” Jason parrots from earlier that night.
The room blinks at him. But Steph is the only one to offer a clear, “Holy shit.”
Bruce lets out a sigh of exhaustion, putting his head into his hands. “That would explain his claustrophobia.”
Jason tries to think back on their interactions before. It’s not like Tim was scared of tight spaces, he just didn’t like them. He managed to avoid them at all cost and when he couldn’t, he was always calm and collected. Maybe too calm. But Jason can’t recall any other signs of abuse. Can’t seem to remember if he’s ever tensed up from a loud noise inside the house, or if he flinched when he broke something. Did Tim really never show any signs or was Jason always so focused on his own shit to notice?
“There’s no way we could have known,” Bruce addresses the group, looking each of them in the eyes, all of them probably thinking along the same lines. “If Tim was actively hiding it, we couldn’t have known.”
“Yeah,” Steph nods, looking like she’s trying to convince herself more than the others. “I mean, look how long he kept his missing spleen a secret.”
Bruce grimaces at the reminder. “His parents are dead, and I don’t know if I want to open a wound that’s already been closed. Not right now especially. We can gently address it when he’s back to normal. Right now, what matters is keeping him safe and showing him that he’s loved.”
“Well,” Steph laughs, trying to lighten the somber mood. “We’ll have the loved part down with Dick in the picture.”
Bruce nods, offering her a smile. “Exactly. He won’t long for it here. Now everyone, let’s get some rest.”
Steph, as much as she’d prefer to stay, decides to head home with promises to return tomorrow morning in time for breakfast. Duke makes the executive decision to coral Damian away towards his room, citing the fact that Tim has been crowded by people since arriving to the Batcave and the fewer people to send him off to bed the better. Which just leaves Bruce and Jason who both don’t even pretend to dance around the subject.
Jason decides he’ll stay at least the night. He knows Bruce will want him at the manor while Tim is little, but he’s honestly not sure how long he’ll be able to stay without blowing a fuse at Bruce for one thing or another. But he settles for tonight, and goes to check in on Dick and baby Tim. Him and Bruce follow the sounds of Dumbo from the family room and find Dick sprawled on the couch, his back propped against a pillow. Tim is asleep on top of him, curled against his chest, tiny fingers tangled in the string of Dick’s hoodie, completely out cold.
“He couldn’t decide on what he wanted for a snack so we grabbed a little bit of everything, sorry to waste all the food B.” Dick says softly, his voice no more than an octave above the TV, which he had turned down considerably for Tim. Jason glances at the coffee table and its array of food. Apple slices, crackers, fruit gummies, cookies, sliced cheese, some vegetables with ranch.
“Man’s richer than God, it’s whatever.” Jason scoffs lightly, coming over to sit in an unoccupied space on the coffee table. Bruce huffs out a laugh as he rounds the couch, sitting himself on the arm rest so he can run his hand through Dick’s hair in a soft show of affection. It makes something clench in Jason’s chest, but he decides to ignore it. Focus on the priority instead. “How’s Tim?”
Both Bruce and Dick look down at Tim, watching him breathe for just a moment. “He…kept looking at me,” Dick says quietly, resting a hand on Tim’s back. “Every time he reached for something to eat. Like he needed permission to eat it.”
Jason’s jaw tightens, and when he looks up at Bruce he sees his face ashen. “B?”
At Jason’s questioning tone Dick also looks up, worry seeping into his features as he takes one look at Bruce. “What? What’s wrong?”
Bruce takes a deep breath. “Back when Tim first became Robin…We used to invite him over for dinner.”
Dick frowns, confused. “Yeah, yeah I remember that.”
“He would decline.” Bruce says. “When he thought he made a mistake. On patrol.”
“Fuck,” Jason curses. The kid was punishing himself with food. Whether intentionally, or if he thought Bruce would withhold his dinner if he came over, he was still doing it. That behaviour is taught. “If I had known I would have killed his parents myself.” Both Dick and Jason look at Bruce to gauge his reaction to Jason’s words, but he seems to be too in thought, guilt seeping into every bone in his body. “Hey, none of that shit.” Jason says, grabbing Bruce’s attention by kicking the couch, earning a glare from his brother. “You’re the one who just said we couldn’t have known. Tim’s a sneaky little shit, even back then.”
“He’s right B,” Dick adds.
Bruce nods solemnly. “We always knew they were neglectful. But I didn’t know it was…like this,”
“And trust me, I think we’re all gonna have a conversation with him about it when he’s back. But right now, the best we can do is give him better memories.” Jason is struck right then how much alike Dick and Bruce are. How Dick parrots the same sentiment when it had been Bruce to deliver the It’ll Be Okay speech, and how when Bruce needed it, Dick took up the mantle flawlessly. And then, because he seems to be on the same mission mindset as Bruce, asks, “How’s the bloodwork?”
“Clean,” Bruce replies. “I ran it twice. No anomalies. We’re looking at either a meta or magic so I called Zatanna, she’ll take a look at him tomorrow to evaluate signs of magic.”
Jason crosses his arms, eyes flicking towards Tim. “Now we wait.”
“Now we wait.” Dick parrots, and the three fall into a comfortable silence, eyes drawn to the small, slumbering figure.
Then, after a beat, “You should take him tonight,” Bruce says, looking down at Dick. Dick nods, grateful. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Dick nods, one arm curled protectively around Tim. Jason says his own goodnights, heading to one of the many guest rooms (It’s not his room. Even though it’s the same room he uses every time he stays at the manor and even though he’s found it easier to just leave some stuff behind so he’s not having to lug things back and forth. It’s not his room, it’s the guest bedroom).
Uncharacteristically, when he sees Damian waiting just outside Dick’s door, he decides not to say anything.
Jason’s well into his third read through of Emma, sipping his tea idly in the manor’s library when he hears the faintest of footsteps. He glances up, and sees baby Tim in the doorway. He’s hiding behind the wall, only poking his head around slightly to peer into the library and look at Jason. He’s barefoot, with one of Damian’s shirts acting as a pajama shirt until Bruce can either find something that’ll fit or buy it. His hair, just slightly too long, falls into his eyes. He looks ridiculously small.
Jason waits a beat for Tim to say something, but when it becomes apparent that he’s more than willing to hide behind the doorframe Jason sets down his mug and his book. “Hi Tim.”
“Hello.” Tim’s small voice greets.
Jason waits again, but Tim doesn’t say anything else. “What’s wrong?”
Tim steps out from behind the door frame, putting himself in full view. He seems to fiddle with his fingers, before he sharply takes his hands apart and puts them behind his back instead. “Um…I woke up…But Mr. Damian is still sleeping and Mr. Dick was snoring.”
Jason tries for a grin, hoping it doesn’t come out as too much of a grimace. “That’s okay. The only one’s up would probably be me and maybe Duke. Do you want to play?”
Tim hesitates, then pads closer, still quiet, and nods his head. “Yes please.”
“Okay,” Jason says, abandoning his quiet time in the library in favor of taking Tim by the hand and guiding him towards the game room down the hall. When they step inside, Tim’s eyes go wide as he takes in the floor to ceiling shelves lined with games, a wall mounted flat screen tv, every console imaginable and plush bean bags everywhere. Jason knows Tim is partial to shooter games, and will play on his own even without Jason. On occasion he’ll play Mario Kart and Mario party with Damian, and choose your own path games with Dick. But baby Tim doesn’t seem old enough to want to play video games, so Jason is at least a little intrigued to see what he’ll play with.
“You can play with anything you want, Timbo.” Jason says, gesturing to the room. “We don’t call it the Wayne distraction chamber for nothing.”
Tim stands there for a moment, hesitating, taking in the room. And then slowly, he pads further into the room, towards the storage box underneath the window. He manages to open it halfway, peering into the box by standing on his tiptoes. Jason watches silently as Tim reaches in and pulls out a small bag of legos. “Can I play with this, please?”
“Yeah, Timbo. You can play with it.”
“Thank you,” Tim says, moving to set himself up in the corner of the room, silently taking out the legos. Jason swears he can audibly hear his heart break, watching Tim, a child, move himself out of the way to play silently. In a room designated for fun. Jason wonders what kind of punishment Tim would get for making noise by trying to do something all children do.
Unsure what to do, Jason takes a seat in one of the plush armchairs, occasionally glancing at Tim to see if he needs anything but otherwise scrolling endlessly on his phone. He makes sure to offer Tim a genuine smile every time Tim looks up at him, which earns him a shy one in return. It’s not until Steph casually walks through the doors to the room, a greasy Dunkin bag in her hand and a thrown out, “Yo.” does he finally put the phone away.
“What’s with the bag?” Jason asks.
She grins, holding the bag up, “Oh this? Just the heads of all the lieutenants of major crime families.”
“Oh shut up,” Jason rolls his eyes, tossing a pillow at her that she easily dodges.
She pivots her attention to Tim, who’s watching her warily as she passes Jason entirely and settles for sitting down on the floor next to Tim. “Hi Timmy,” She grins. “What are you doing?”
“I’m playing with legos.” Tim answers, looking down at his creation. “This is a house.”
It’s not a house. Just a stack of blocks in a semi square and a hollow center, but Steph beams at it with a wide grin and artificial shock. “Wow!” She gleams. “This is really good!” This causes Tim to smile bashfully. “Bruce will be happy to finally have an architect in the family,” And then she places the side of her hand in front of her mouth in a stage whisper. “You’ll be making the big bucks.”
Tim giggles. “I want to make another house.”
“Yeah?” Steph asks, and Tim nods. “Can I help?”
Tim looks like she just offered him the sky, his eyes brighten in a shining hope that makes Jason feel a boatful of guilt. He’s been watching Tim play for at least 25 minutes, and Steph has been here a total of three and already she’s doing loads better than him.
“Yes, please!” Tim says politely, but still excited.
Steph looks up at Jason, and must see his emotion clear on his face, because she offers him a small smile and turns back to Tim. “Can Jason play too? I think he secretly wants to but was too scared to ask.” She once again stage whispers.
Tim turns to look at Jason, assessing the situation with calculating eyes, the only semblance of the Tim he does know. Then he nods. “Okay. You can make the work building.”
“And grab the box of action figures!” Steph commands, pointing to a basket a couple of feet from Tim like he didn’t live in the house for most of his life and knew well and truly where the toy basket was. “We need people to live in our houses.”
Jason rolls his eyes but does as told with a huff of laughter, if only to prove non verbally to Tim that he really doesn’t mind. They make quick work with their construction, Steph and Tim working on the second house and Jason making a decent model of the WE building. Steph ends up offering Tim some hashbrowns and some donut holes from her Dunkin bag, which Tim takes gladly. Either he’s deemed Steph safe, or he’s too engrossed in his play time, but he doesn’t seem to hesitate while he eats. That, paired with the laughs and giggles Steph manages to pull out of him, Jason counts as a massive win.
Duke ends up being the next to join them, and he gets roped into playing Valentina, the mistress who works at the work building Jason has dubbed as Todd Enterprise, who’s dating the CEO, a rugged Ken doll who’s seen better days. Steph is obviously Ken, who she named Ronoldo. Leaving Jason to play the wife, Stephaniea (because he’s a dick). Tim, who doesn’t want to play their kid, plays a lawyer instead, first the divorce lawyer, then a criminal attorney after Valentina kidnaps Stephaniea (Tim’s creative direction, not theirs).
Duke settles Jason with a long hard look after Stephaniea slaps Valentina in a heated argument while at court, causing him to smirk. “What? Got something to say?”
“I’ve got something to say.” Duke says carefully. “But I can’t, because there’s a child present.” Tim giggles at this, and then stands up, running over to Duke and whispering in his ear, causing Duke to grin from ear to ear. “You witch!” He says as Valentina. “But guess what. You didn’t know I’m secretly a meta.” Then Duke moves his Wonder Woman’s dolls hands out and says, “Ice ability!” and makes a whooshing sound.
“What the fuck?!” Jason genuinely gasps, causing Duke to throw his head back laughing while Steph chides him on his language and then proceeds to ponder the life choices she’s made to lead her to sounding like Dick. “Hell no, I’ve already died once. Stephaniea is going to heat the ice with her fire power.”
“You can’t have fire powers!”
“Yes I can! You didn’t have ice powers until two seconds ago!”
“I literally am a meta, It’s my god given right--”
“Yeah, and I literally died and came back to life. If I can do it, so can Stephaniea!”
“Well then she needs to die first! Which she clearly should have but you---”
“Okay!” Steph claps her hands together once. “Maybe we should put the dolls down and play something else, what do you think Tim?”
Tim nods, “But first we have to clean up!”
Steph and Tim do most of the cleaning while Duke and Jason continue to glare at each other. They eventually stop, only after Steph calls it romantic tension to which Jason throws a lego into her hair in retaliation. They move to the TV, where Duke goes through the games and ends up pulling out Just Dance for the Wii.
They play until they get tired. And then they play some more. Making sure to cater to every one of Tim’s wants and needs. Jason doesn’t know what Tim’s home life was like before he became Robin, before he started taking to the rooftops with nothing but a camera and a sweatshirt. He’s not sure he even wants to know. Not now, not when there’s nothing he can do about it anymore.
But he can make Tim happy now. He can start over with a first impression. And Jason decides, here and now, he’s not going to fuck it up.