When Timothy Drake was born he was the picture of health in newborn. His parents hired the best doctors and nurses to look after him. He had the rosy cheeks, baby soft skin, and adoring parents. As a toddler he was the perfect child for his fast-paced parents, he never said no to nap time, he was always sweet and listened to them, or the nanny. They couldn't have wanted for a better child or heir. He didn't run around causing trouble and raising cane like the other kids his age did. He took more naps and was still curious, but never like the other kids. Good breeding did that to a child they agreed as they watched him fall asleep in the back of the limo on the way to a party.

It was only when he grew to be older they demanded all A's and a certain late-night habit of following Batman and Robin kept him up late and he drank coffee to substitute sleep. His parent's just wanted the best for him he told himself as he felt his heart palpitate as he sat and studied. Tim still chased Batman and Robin, but all of his endurance training and running left him tired with no results other than making him feel like he was going to die.

He wondered how hard Dick and Jason had to train to be Robin. Jason was probably suffering from malnutrition so he didn't have an easy road of training. Dick was gifted with being an incredibly acrobat so his training was almost intact. Tim didn't understand how other kids his age could do so much and he just felt weak.

Jason died. Bruce and Dick were still fighting and Tim... still couldn't run a mile without tachycardia and getting dizzy. Tim almost told his parents, but all his school physical came back that he was in the peak of health. He was being ridiculous if his parents did know his dad would be disappointed. Jack was hoping Tim would take interest in sports and how could he when he got dizzy from running?

Tim watched as Bruce became more violent and less concerned about justice. He knew he had to do something. Tim took a bus to Bludhaven and found Dick Grayson's apartment the elevator was broken by the time Tim ran up the stairs he was short of breath and had to sit on the top of the stairs for a minute before he embarrassed himself in front of Dick Grayson. Tim could finally breath normally and his heart rate came down he knocked on Dick Grayson's door.

"I'm here to talk about Batman, Nightwing," Tim announced in a stage whisper.

The rest was history. Dick refused to move back to Gotham and Tim was out of options. Bruce needed to be grounded in a way that Alfred couldn't do, and Dick refused to do again. Tim did the only thing he could think of he went to Bruce and told him everything all the ways that Batman helped people when he was being Batman and not a grief-fueled vigilante. Tim told him about how much he looked up to him and Robin, but he had to stop. He had to start being the right kind of Batman again, not the one that used excessive violence and didn't resemble a hero anymore.

Bruce was angry and kicked him out. Tim was accustomed to the anger of not doing what people wanted so he went home and started to plan. He had to get Batman to listen to him. Tim fell asleep soon after he crashed in his room, it wasn't until later that evening when he woke up. The news was going crazy over a breaking story that involved Batman, Nightwing, and Black Mask. WIthout thinking he raced to Wayne Manor. Tim would swear to this day that Alfred knew he was coming.

The old butler had a mix of Dick and Jason's Robin suits ready for him. Tim quickly put them on as his heart raced with excitement. He found Bruce and Dick tied up by one Black Mask's thugs. Tim raced to untie them when they both were free Tim watched in amazement as they took Black Mask and his hired thugs out with little difficulty they weren't breathing hard or anything. It amazed him at how easy they made it look to how hard it was for him.

Bruce and Dick came back to him after all the thugs were unconscious. "You need Robin," Tim told him as he looked at Bruce blank face.

"It looks like I do."

Dick broke out in a huge grin, "Welcome to the club!"

Tim's heart felt like it could burst as his chest started to hurt. Joy made him feel weird, apparently.

Bruce had taken him to train as Robin even if Tim felt like pre-serum Steve Rogers he worked hard and it didn't seem like enough he was always exhausted even after his body should have gotten used to the work. It wasn't until he walked in the cave one afternoon and was in the middle of talking to Alfred and passed completely out that they realized that for all appearances Tim might not be healthy.

Alfred was caught off guard and couldn't catch the boy before he fell on the training mats. He tried to rouse the boy to no avail, Alfred hit the panic button that alerted Bruce and Dick that something was wrong. In a matter of minutes, they came running down to the cave to see Alfred and an embarrassed Tim laying on the mats.

"What's going on? Why did you press the panic button?" Bruce demanded.

"Master Timothy collapsed for no reason. He came to only a few seconds ago," Alfred explained.

"Are you o.k.? Do you pass out like that often?" Dick asked as he looked at Tim's clammy, pale features.

"I think I'm alright, I just got really dizzy I thought it would go away, but it didn't. The next thing I knew I'm on my back," Tim said as he slowly sat up and hugged his legs.

Dick walked over to him, "I'm going to stand behind you in case you pass out again, o.k."

"What kind of medical history do you have? Did you eat breakfast this morning?" Bruce asked trying to think of reasons a healthy teenager would suddenly pass out.

"I had a banana protein smoothie. As far as I know, I'm healthy I really don't know why I passed out," Tim reasoned.

"We'll do a CT scan you hit your head pretty hard, a full blood work panel, and any other tests Leslie calls for," Bruce said as he pulled out his cell phone to call her.

Alfred and Dick both helped Tim up and kept a hand on him in case he went to pass out again. The CT scan showed that his head was fine and the blood work was normal.

Leslie checked Tim over and wanted an EKG done. Alfred and Leslie put the cold stickers on Tim's chest, legs, and arms. In a flash the computer screen lit up with squiggles Tim watched as Leslie's face went from blank to intrigued.

"Do you get tired often?" Leslie asked as she went back and forth from watching the screen to looking at Tim.

"Yeah, I've never had an issue about falling asleep. Little things can wear me out," Tim answered honestly.

"Does your heart pound at times for no reason?" Leslie asked as the batfamily exchanged bewildered looks.

"Sometimes and if I do too much I get short of breath," Tim admitted.

"It looks like you have Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome. It means that your heart has an extra electrical pathway this causes you to have tachycardia, to be dizzy when you sit up to fast and do not have much endurance when you work out. Now that you know you shouldn't work out anymore. Don't do anything that would elevate your heart rate, no caffeine, or excessive sugar. You'll need to get plenty of rest and avoid stress," Leslie continued.

"Wait a minute, I have a heart condition?" Tim asked, sure he got tired easily and his heart raced at times but it happened all of his life that wasn't normal?

"You have Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome it's a heart condition you were born with it. It's rare only two in a thousand people have it. There is a corrective surgery that can fix it, but not everyone is an ideal candidate for it. I can send you the links for some helpful websites on how to take care of yourself," Leslie offered.

"What are mom and dad going to say?" Tim asked as his eyes went wide at the possibility that he wasn't the perfectly healthy child they always thought he was. Tim pulled the stickers off and detached the wires. "Are you sure?" Tim asked hoping that Leslie was wrong.

"I'm sure. I've been studying EKGs and this is a textbook WPW. You said it yourself you fit the symptoms," Leslie explained. "I will refer you to a cardiologist so you can get a second opinion."

"I'm only twelve and I have heart problems," Tim said defeatedly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Leslie apologized.

"This means that I can't be Robin. Mom and Dad have no clue. How am I going to get up with them they are in the middle of Africa?" Tim started to ramble thinking about all the things that having a heart condition prevented him from doing.

"It's not the end of the world. You can't get rid of us that easily," Dick said as he bear-hugged Tim.

"You still want me?" Tim asked confused.

"Yes, we still want you," Bruce said realizing that Tim could be so much more than any of the other Robins before him even if the boy himself didn't realize it.

AN

Here are some links if you want to know more about Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome.

diseases-conditions/wolff-parkinson-white-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20354626

heart-disease/what-is-wolff-parkinson-white-syndrome#1