Dreams

Tim's POV

I struggled in my seat thrashing against my restraints, "I have to get free." I thought to myself looking over to the girl sitting calmly in the chair opposite of me, restrained.

Two face walking across the warehouse floor towards the girl, coin in hand; "heads you die first, tails you die second." he said flipping the coin. I thrashed harder against my chair, "don't worry I'll save you", I thought determinedly towards the girl, she sat calmly in the chair not fazed by the coin spinning in the air that decided her fate.

I watched as the coin dropped, seeming to avoid Two face's hand, it fell to the floor bouncing and rolling to a stop, balancing on its rim. It stayed balancing not wavering to either side. "It's a tie little girl, your choice. Who do you want to die first?" Two face asked smirking, my heart skipped a beat. She sat there, she didn't look scared, she was calm and determined, even in the face of death the girl was brave.

"Shoot me first", she said looking at the gun in Two face's hand "I'll go first." I stared at her for a second my heart stopped beating, her words registering in my mind; "Shoot me first." I spit out the gag in my mouth, yelling for it to be me and not her. She just gave me a sad smile, "Batman needs his Robin" Two face put the gun in her mouth, "prendersi cura di loro Timoteo."(1)she said, my heart skipped another beat.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the gun went off, the spraying my face with her blood. I didn't dare open my eyes to see the bloody body of the girl, but my detective instincts took over forcing me to look over to her once more. The top half of her body was out of my view, hidden behind where Two face stood, but I could still see her lifeless hands laying on the ground and her lower torso, still strapped into the chair by restraints. I shut my eyes, failure and guilt washing over my heart and mind.

"Your turn bird boy." I heard two-face whisper deadly, as he walking towards me. The crash of a window breaking echoed across the warehouse, grunts of pain were followed. I felt someone's presence in front of me, I didn't open my eyes to see who it was. I felt the restraints fall off my body as I was picked up and carried away. A few moments later I was placed down on a seat my mask taken off.

"Timmy? Open your eyes Timmy, your safe now." I slowly opened my eyes to look at Dick. Concern showed in his features, easily seen in his unmasked eyes, "Timmy are you okay?" He asked looking me over for any wounds. He looked back into my eyes, "Tim what happened?" he asked seriously.

I felt my heart beat painfully against my chest as my mind flooded with the events of the night. My eyes pricked with tears as I stared into Dicks blue eyes, guilt filled me as the tears spilled over my face. Throwing my arms around dicks neck I cried into his chest. "Its all my fault, Dick! I should have listened to batman when he said to stay put,…. I should have, been able to stop Two face!" I started sobbing "I should have been able to get out of the restraints and saved that girl, she gave her life so I could live! I'm supposed to be dead not her…." I trailed off crying harder.

Dick's protective arms wrapped around my shaking body, "Shhhh Timmy, it's okay now, we don't blame you for this." He soothed stoking my hair. "You don't?" I asked looking up from his chest. "Of course not," he said pulling me back so he could look at me, "and you shouldn't either, everyone has messed up before Timmy. Not everyone can be saved so you shouldn't beat yourself up about it." I thought about this, sighing I hugged him again, snuggling into his chest, "Thanks Dick."

"Anytime baby bird, anytime." He murmured back, pulling me closer. "Tim." Batman said pulling us out of the moment. I looked back at Dick before walking towards Batman. "Batman," I started " I sorry I didn't listen and got captured. I'm sorry I got cocky, I'm sorry that girl died, and I'm sorry for disappointing you." I waited in silence.

Batman knelt down pulling me into a hug. "Tim I'm not made at you, I'm just glad your safe. I know you didn't mean to get caught but you need to stay close so you don't get hurt." He pulled me back to look into my eyes, his cowl off. "Everyone makes mistakes Tim, you can't blame yourself forever. We all know that if you could have you would've saved that girl, there's a difference between pulling the trigger and failing to stop the bullet." I nod before he hugs me again.

"Now off to bed with you, you've had a long night." He says picking me up and carrying me in the direction of my room. I rub my eyes tiredly and yawn. " Okay Bruce, night Dick." I say calling over Bruce's large shoulders. "Night Baby bird."

Five years later….

Five years have past since she died. Her name was Lily Carter, age 11, had violet eyes and brown hair. She had a family, a mother, father and a brother, they died a year after her death in a car accident. She had been in my elementary class that year, I never noticed her, apparently she recognized me in my robin costume.

I never knew her at the time but as years went by I got to know her better…(2)

"Hey Timmy." Lily said sitting on the white sheets of my bed. "Hey." I returned, "how you feeling."

"Considering I can't feel anymore I wouldn't know but I would believe I feel good." She teased playfully poking me. I rolled my eyes. " Of course, how could I forget when you don't stop bragging about it." I retorted while laughing, climbing off the bed.

"What do you want to do, we only have two hours before you wake up and you won't be able to talk to me again." She asked while warning me of our time limit.

Ever since she first popped up in my dreams, we only got to talk when I slept, which wasn't very long. She told me once she wasn't allowed to leave until her spirit was put to rest, she said something had to be done for her to be able to free herself but she wouldn't tell me what that was.

I thought for a moment, "Why don't we just talk for once?" I asked. She seemed pleased and nodded. We walked out of the room, and continued down the hall, stopping at another door. Pushing in open we climbed out onto the bushy treetop sitting on the thick branches, watching the sun climb above the horizon slowly, our favorite spot.

We sat in silence for a moment enjoying the view, " Happy birthday Lily." I said quietly still staring at the sunset. "And here I thought you forgot." She teased, snorting at my random congratulation. "16," I whistled, "your getting old Lily." I said poking her ribs playfully. She elbowed me back, "I'm no older than you Bird boy."

I pouted at her, before shaking my head laughing. I frowned " It's been five years since you died, five years since I failed to save you." I commented, looking at the sunrise.

"Tim I never blamed you for my death, you didn't kill me." She said lightly, hugging me. "I know, but that's because you're forgiving." I argued. Lily sighed shaking her head. " And you blame yourself too much Tim."

We sat in silence for a moment, letting our comments sink in, Lily was the first to break the silence. "Time passes by too quickly in your head, your getting slow Bird brain." She teased while sighing, she was trying to lighten the mood but it wasn't working very well. "You know I've been thinking…" she started trailing off as she decided what she wanted to say. "Really that's new." I said smirking, earning a glare from her and a elbow to my side. "I've been thinking it's been 5 years now... maybe, I should tell you more about my curse… how to stop it."

I sat up straighter, looking at her; she was looking off into the sunset, deep in thought. She became nervous after a while chewing on her lip. "Lily?" I asked cautiously now slightly afraid.

"Tim," she said softly "you need to let me go." She let that sink in not looking at me. "Let you go? What do you mean let you go?" I asked, let her go how? She smiled softly. 'You need to let my spirit go, you've always gone to sleep calling me without knowing it, you need to give me up."

My stomach dropped slightly as I realized that she was right, I had been calling for her, expecting me to be there when I went to sleep; I was the thing holding her to here, I had always been. "How do I do that I can't…just pretend like I didn't care about you, that I wasn't the one to… damn it Lily I just can't bring myself to forget what I did, it's always been my fault no matter what anyone says that's always been one of my greatest failures!" I felt the tears trickle down my face; I didn't stop them I let them continue to slide slowly.

Lily's arms wrapped around me slowly, "Tim that's why you need to forgive yourself, your guilt keeps me here." I turned and looked into her eyes, "I love you." I felt my heart freeze slightly at what I said. What?

I expected her to look shocked or angry even but her eyes simply; softened she rested her head on my shoulder hugging me, "love you too." We sat in silence for the rest of the time.

"We have 5 minutes." she commented, talking for the first time in the last hour. I felt myself sag slightly I didn't want this to be the last encounter but I knew she had been kept here long enough. We stood up, climbing out of the room and walking down the hall. Stopping at the door framed I turned to her, "so this is it?" "This is it." She answered looking reluctant, she reached on her toes pecking me on the lips, it was a small kiss but it was a strong one all the same.

I walked over to my bed still looking at Lily out of the corner of my eye, climbing in. Lily stood at the doorframe not daring to come closer, "Come sit with me." I called to her, determined to make this last moment last even though I would have to let it go anyway. She obeyed walking over and lying next to me. I wrapped my arms around her pulling her close, holding her as if she was my life line, which in a way she was. I had fallen in love with the very girl I failed to save and who saved me, now she had to leave all over again.

"Goodbye Lily Carter." I whispered.

"Goodbye Tim Drake." She whispered back.

I closed my eyes, drifting back to reality but I heard her whisper "we will meet again." Before I saw complete black.

I sat up tears running down my eyes, I looked over to my alarm clock it read 5:30am. I got up and got ready grabbing my stuff I walked out the door into the garage.

I stared at her grave lined up with her families I placed a rose on top of hers whispering another goodbye; as if I had been carrying a heavy load I felt light all of a sudden, then emptiness; she was gone. I turned from her grave, walking back to my bike.

(3)Passing by a lake I noticed a lone water lily flouting away, joining a group of other water lily's, suddenly a scarf came flying into my face. Taking it off I looked at it, where did this come from?

A girl came running up to me a sheepish smile on her face, "Sorry the wind picked up all of a sudden and it flew off my neck. You okay?" I handed her back the scarf before answering. " It's fine, no harm done." I flashed her one of my charming smiles.

I studied the girls face she had bluey-violet eyes, brown hair and tan skin. She reminded me of Lily…. The image of the lily flouting away flashed before my eyes. Lily….

I smiled remembering what she said, "my names Rose by the way, Rose Mason. She held out her hand, shaking it I smiled again,

"My names Tim Drake."

Hey guys this is my first one-shot ik it's a little sad but I like sad romance stories. I hoped you liked it and I have some notes for if you got lost.

(1)prendersi cura di loro Timoteo is Italian for "take care of them Timothy." Cause she figured out his secret identity. Lily is Italian so I figured that would be the perfect cover up.

(2)Lily is now a ghost that's stuck in Tim's head simple as that.

(3)It was a vision type thing that symbolized Lily leaving Tim to go to her family. Also the girl is the reincarnation of Lily and will be Tim's future lover or whatever.

I don't know if I'm going to do another one-shots I like writing them but I find them annoying to read myself so this is just something to read while I think of a idea for my story I'm currently writing. Hope you liked it, and if you would like me to make more feel free to ask.