"Hello Tim."
"Hello, old man."
The door swung shut behind him as Bruce made his way forward. Slowly his eyes turned to Barbara, who was standing beside Tim, holding his hand. "Could you give us a minute?"
Barbara nods and moves to the door without a word. Bruce moves to sit in the chair beside the bed.
"How do you feel?"
"Like a psychopath took over my brain and used me to destroy my city…" Tim answered honestly.
"It's not your fault Tim."
"That never stopped you from feeling guilty about anything," Tim countered easily.
Bruce's brow tightened but he did not rise to the challenge. "I am sorry Tim."
Blue eyes scanned Bruce's face for any sign of deceit or false concern. All he saw there was sincerity. "If I'd searched harder, none of this would have happened…"
"See what I mean?" Tim almost smirked. "It messed me up Bruce…. More than you, or even I realized. Especially now… But it made me who I am today. I know it's not who you wanted but I am happy and that's all that matters." Tim stated his point firmly and Bruce knew that he could never change the man's mind.
"I am glad you are happy Tim. I really am. How's Steph?"
"She's doing well. Her work keeps her busy, but it leaves me with the kids, which is nice."
"Jack, Janet, and little Angela. How are they?"
"They're doing well. Angela's not so little any more. She graduated high school this spring and plans to attend Harvard in the fall. Jack has just graduated into a senior position as a test pilot."
"And Janet?"
Tim smiled. "She's in love…. Never thought I'd hate a guy so much. For the most part I let Steph deal with him."
"Batgirl playing good cop…. That's a frightening thought," Bruce mused.
"She's not Batgirl anymore," Tim said defensively, and both Bruce and Tim felt the walls rise into place.
"No… she's not," Bruce said, sighing.
An uncomfortable yet strangely peaceful silence fell over them. Both glanced around the room.
"Why are you here Bruce?" Tim asked.
"I needed to be here. Needed to make sure you're ok."
"Thanks Bruce" Tim smiled weakly. "For everything… I never told you that before. Even though the cowl was never for me, you taught me a lot. So thanks." Their eyes locked.
"I'm proud of you, Tim." And Tim's eyes widened. "The man you were then, and the man you are now. I've always been proud… of all of you."
"Just never had the nerve to say it?" Tim asked, a small smirk twitching the corners of his mouth upwards. Bruce then proved to Tim that the Bat glare was, very much, still in existence. Tim's smile widened. "I am glad you're saying it now. Never thought I'd admit it, least of all to you…. But it really does mean a lot."
Bruce nodded and smiled. And Tim smiled too. And a mutual respect was solidified in them. A knock at the door interrupted the moment. A quick glance at Bruce's face told him that their conversation was basically over. "Come in," Tim said.
The door creaked open. "Hey Timmy… I heard about what… happened…."
Dick Grayson emerged behind the door, casting a quick glance around the room, stopping dead when he spotted Bruce. Tim merely nodded at Grayson.
"Hi Dick."
"What are you doing here?" Grayson demanded, glaring at Bruce.
"I was just leaving," Bruce said, rising to his feet. Tim didn't protest as Bruce moved to the door and shuffled past Grayson. "Get well, Tim."
Drake nodded. "I will. Thanks, Bruce."
And then the door closed and Bruce was gone, leaving Grayson to stare at the door after him.
"He's gone now, Dick. Have a seat."
Grayson complied, sliding down into the chair. "What was he doing here?" Grayson asked, still unable to let it go.
"He came to see how I was doing. Same as you," Tim smiled.
Grayson smirked. "You always were the smart one… I heard what happened… the Joker…"
"Barbara?" Tim asked.
"No," Grayson said derisively. "I have other ways of getting my information."
Tim smirked. "How are things on Tamaran? How are Kory and Mar'i?"
"Well… it's a lot different than here, I'll tell you that. We are actually not currently at war… first time in the past fifty years, as far as I can tell."
"You're a good influence on them," Tim smiled.
"It's my charm," Grayson grinned, the unabashed boasting never leaving him as the light danced in his eyes.
"Kory? And Mar'i?" Tim pressed.
"Both are doing well. Being queen can stress her out from time to time, but everyone agrees that Kory is an amazing queen. She's revolutionized a lot of their culture and society."
"And that's saying something for such an advanced planet," Tim smirked.
""Nice' is now an official Tamaranian word," Grayson laughed.
Tim laughed too, but soon stopped. McGinnis had landed a solid blow to his ribs.
"Mar'i is doing well too. She's married now. He's nice… but… he'll never be good enough for her."
"I know that feeling," Tim said.
"Janet's engaged?"
"Boyfriend."
"I'm surprised he's still breathing."
"We don't kill, remember?"
That comment brought silence over the room as both men glanced outside. "Are you ever sorry you hung up the suit?" Tim asked, peering into Grayson's eyes.
Grayson smirked sadly. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it; at least from time to time. The rush, the adrenaline of it all, the feeling of control and freedom… But if you're asking me if I'd ever take it up again, the answer is no. I had my run, and it was a good one. I am happy the way things are. Tamaran is never boring either. Something's always going wrong at one end or another. Besides…. I think Damian does well as Nightwing," Grayson mused.
Tim smiled softly. "I agree. I think the Bat would have stifled him. He needed to become his own man, and through Nightwing, he's done that. How does it feel to have someone living in your legacy?"
"He's not living in my legacy, Tim. That's not what Nightwing is about. Nightwing is about finding yourself and creating your own legacy, whatever that might be. And our own Baby Bat has lived up to that."
"Just don't let him hear you call him that," Tim grinned.
"Why not, Baby Bird? You never quite grow out of it."
Grayson grinned and Tim glared at him. "What about you? Do you miss it?"
"Sometimes," Tim admitted. "But in the end, it gave me everything I wanted from it. I helped people then, and I help people now. The cape gave me the confidence and, in some ways, the competence to do it. It also introduced me to Steph, the best person in my life… and in the end that's all I can ask." Tim paused for a moment but then decided to continue. "And it brought us together."
"We met before the Bat," Grayson reminded him.
"Yeah… but for everything he did against us… it was the Bat that made us brothers."
"Yeah… I guess we have to give him that…" Grayson lapsed into a pensive silence.
"Have you heard from Damian recently?" Tim asked.
"No. But I don't expect to. He's perfectly capable of running his own missions."
"I don't mean as a mentor, Dick. I mean as a brother, as a friend," Tim clarified.
"No. But he calls about once every three months, just to let me know how he's doing and to ask about Tamaran and the family. He's offered to fly over and bring world peace with him a few times."
"He would," Tim snorted. "He's still a brat."
"You guys are still fighting?" Grayson asked, almost amused at the longevity of the feud.
Tim's facial expression shifted to one of false conviction. "Only superficially. But if you tell him I told you that, you can expect another war on Tamaran."
Grayson smirked. "You going to single-handedly bring down a warrior planet?" Amusement laced his tone.
"Hey, I may have hung up the cape, but I still have friends in high places."
"Starfire versus Superboy… that is a fight I'd pay to see."
"Right?" Tim smirked. "Thanks for coming, Dick. It's really good to see you again."
"It's not that far from Tamaran, especially with the latest ship design. Besides, we're brothers."
"Speaking of brothers, any word from Jason?" Tim asked.
"Nothing recently. Haven't heard from him in years… After … Barbara and Bruce…. I kind of cut myself off…"
"I know," Tim said, not condescendingly, but understandingly.
"Jay and I still talked, but after I left the family, it was never quite the same. For a bit, we were connected over it, but after I left for Tamaran, we drifted apart. Have you heard from him?"
"No. It's been a few years. I miss him."
"Yeah… Me too." Grayson agreed. "Well Tim… I have to get going. I told Luke and Cassandra that I'd meet up with them before heading back to Tamaran. Wally also wants me to swing by and say hi to Artemis and the kids… and you know how Wally gets."
"I know. Come see me again before you leave though," Tim asserted. And in that moment he felt like a young boy again, calling out helplessly, for his older brother. But the beautiful part of it was that he knew his brother would answer him.
"I promise," he said, opening the door. "See you then, Timmy."
And then he was gone.
Moonlight flooded in through the open windows and Tim Drake looked into the night sky. Hospital regulations dictated that the window be closed, but Tim had found a way to rig the blinds in a way that allowed the light in, and for him to see the night sky. From his position in the bed, he could see the Bat Signal lighting up the Gotham night.
"Go get 'em, Terry," he murmured into the night.
"Still as sappy as ever," the voice came from above him and Tim's gaze shifted, scanning the ceiling. A shifting tile soon moved to reveal a face, shrouded in darkness. But the voice alone was enough for Tim to know who it was.
"Jason Todd…" his voice sounded a smile.
"Hey, baby bird," he said, dropping down to the floor.
"No matter how old I get, I'll never get rid of that name…" Tim said.
"No matter how old you get, you'll never stop being my little brother," Jason reminded him.
Tim smiled. "It's nice to hear you say that."
"Don't get used to it," Jason said dismissively. "I heard about the Joker using you to destroy part of Gotham. I should have killed him then when I had the chance."
"It's not your fault, Jay. You couldn't have known."
"They should have known. Joker takes you for three weeks and they just welcome you back? The Joker always has tricks up his sleeve. They should have done more to make sure you were alright."
"I'm alright now," Tim said.
"Yeah… in the hospital," Jason retorted.
A pause covered them and for a moment neither spoke, both lost in thought. Then Tim glanced up and addressed his brother.
"How do you do it Jason?"
"Do what?"
"Kill." Tim said. He tried to keep his voice even, but emotion stirred his words.
Jason's gaze dropped to the floor and he could not meet his brother's eyes. "Because I know what it's like to be dead. It hardens you, Tim."
"…I'm sorry you can say that… I'm sorry for what happened to you."
"Why? You didn't even know who I was back then."
"No… but I know now. And I'm sorry."
"It's alright, Tim. It's not your fault."
"Do you blame the old bat?" Tim asked. It occurred to him that he'd never actually had this conversation with Jason before.
"No. I used to. Not anymore. I blamed him for not avenging me, for letting the clown live. But I guess that's over now too. You and Dick both took care of it in your own time."
Tim frowned. And the fear returned. He tried to blink it away. Ever perceptive, Jason caught the effect of his words.
"Hey, Tim. It's ok. You're here now. It happened. It's over. You're safe."
Tim blinked hard a few times, and then looked up at his brother. "Thanks Jay."
Jason smiled his toothy grin. It had less charm than it did when he was younger, but it was good to see it now.
"What have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you in a few years… Still prowling the streets?"
"No," Jason shook his head. "Being legally dead has a few perks to it. I spend my days training kids like we were, actually. It's almost like training a new generation of robins, but without the confidence crusher."
Tim grinned. "I never would have thought that it would be you who trained the next group."
"Gotham may not need a Batman, but it will always need a Robin" Jason said evenly. "Got to train at least a few to have some street smarts. Especially around here. Too many creeps to have it otherwise."
"That's really great, Jason. What about personal life? You married? Any kids?"
"No," Jason chuckled. "There's not a girl in the world that could put up with me. And as for kids, the last thing I need is another mini-me, tearing up the streets."
"Seems to me like you're making an army of mini-yous," Tim accused mockingly.
"Yeah, well hopefully we end up with a few yous and Dicks, and even Damians in the lot. The world could do with more people like them" he admitted. Then eyes locked and Jason's face became very serious as Tim's transformed into an amused visage.
"Tell either of them and I die?" Tim asked.
"Worse. I'll stick you with Damian and make him torture you."
"That's low."
Tim noticed the change in lighting. A blue spark of dawn was beginning to curl into the cloudscape. Jason followed his line of sight. "It's getting light. I should go."
"Wait…" Tim said.
"What is it?"
Tim smiled sadly and his eyes flicked to his watch that was on the table beside the bed. "Dick's going back to Tamaran tomorrow… One more time?"
Jason shook his head disapprovingly, and chuckled sardonically twice. But his words and tone transmitted his approval. "Do it."
Tim reached to the watch and felt for the small button on the underside of the watch. He pressed it, and a small red light located in the center of the watch face started flashing. Glancing at Jason, Tim noted the red glow periodically appearing from underneath Jason's shirt. Tim cocked an eyebrow, but Jason did not address it. The two sat for a moment and waited. It wasn't long before there was a rap on the window. Tim glanced at Jason who sighed and rose to his feet. He opened the window and Damian slipped into the room. The centerpiece of his uniform was blinking red. A quick press of the button ceased its constant blinking.
Tim just sighed. "Doesn't anyone use the door anymore?"
Damian just glanced at him "Tt. What is this about Drake?"
"We should wait until Dick gets here."
They lapsed into silence again, but it wasn't long before there was a light rap on the door. Tim smirked. "Good old Grayson."
"Emphasis on the old," Damian said as he moved to open the door.
"What it is?" Grayson asked, moving into the room. "Are you alright, Tim?"
"Fine."
It took Grayson a moment to understand the occupants of the room. When he did, he rushed to Damian and embraced him firmly. "Damian!"
The younger man pretended to be more annoyed than he was, but he reciprocated the hug firmly. When he released, Grayson turned to Jason. "Hug me, and I break your arm."
"I'd like to see you try," Grayson retorted, but he and Jason met in the middle for a firm handshake.
"He's here, Drake. Why did you call?" Damian asked, getting right to the point.
Tim scrunched his face. Not quite sure where to start. He glanced at Jason, and with a slight nod, he knew he'd have the Red Hood's support.
"It's not an emergency." Damian rolled his eyes. "But it is important" Tim said. "You all know about the Joker."
"And how he used you to destroy a sizeable part of Gotham with a laser?" Damian challenged.
Grayson nudged Damian with a shoulder.
"Yes" Tim said. "Well… As… awful a reason as it is, it brought us all together, and well… with a new Batman in town… I guess… I wanted to remind us of what it meant to be Robin. We're all so far away now, with Dick even living on another planet, but I guess I wanted to remind us that we're brothers and that we'll always be there when we need each other."
Damian rolled his eyes. "Obviously. We're here, aren't we?"
"Yes" Tim said. "You are. Thank you for that Damian."
"How is the new Batman anyways?" Dick asked, curiosity laced his tone.
"He's alright. He'll do a good job of it," Tim affirmed.
"Good to see that Batman will carry on," Grayson said, and Tim glanced at him. "Hopefully he'll be better at it than Bruce ever was."
"Probably. He's got the guts for it," Tim said.
"Is that why we're here?" Damian asked, annoyance sharp in his voice. "To talk about our replacement?"
"He's not our replacement" Jason said, firmly. "None of us were ever Batman, not really. And none of us were ever meant to be Batman. We're here because we're Robin."
"Tt."
"Why are we here Tim?" Grayson asked.
"Well, for you, it's to fulfill a promise. Damian, and Jay, it's for this."
Suddenly there was a flash on the far wall and all eyes turned to it. Tim smiled at the wall. Jason, catching on, smiled too, soon followed by Grayson, who grinned widely.
"You always were the crafty one," he said after a moment.
"You took a picture!" Damian accused.
"Yup," Tim grinned.
"Todd…. I am surprised you agreed to it…"
"Well… Red Robin was always the one with the plan," Jason grinned.
"Send me a copy, will you Tim?" Grayson had yet to stop grinning.
"Of course," Tim replied.
Grayson glanced at the window. "Well guys… as much as I love being here with you… Kory expects me back on Tamaran later today. If I'm not there, you can forget what I said about no war."
Tm smiled sadly. "Understood. Thanks for coming Dick. It means a lot."
"Anything, Tim. Anytime, anywhere."
Tim smiled, and slowly rose out of his bed.
"Should you be standing?" Jason asked, uncharacteristic concern lacing his tone.
"For a hug? Always. Steph will be expecting one when she and the kids get here tomorrow anyways."
Tim and Grayson embraced firmly. Then they detached and Grayson turned to Jason.
"Jay?"
"Fine."
The Red Hood and the first Nightwing hugged briefly, a strong hug. Upon releasing, Grayson pulled Damian into a hug as well. While Grayson held Damian, Tim caught Jason's attention and cocked his head towards the wall. Jason nodded and together the two of them latched onto the Grayson and Damian's hug, making it into a group hug. Tim pressed the button and the camera took another picture.
"Send me that one too" Grayson smiled.
The hug dissolved and Grayson glanced at the wall. "Barbara put it in, didn't she?"
"Yeah."
"How is she?" Grayson asked
"Good."
"I'm glad… Tell her that, will you?"
"I will."
Another glance at the window. "We'll boys, it's been fun, but I've got to be going."
Tim nodded. "Have a safe trip back."
"You too. Avoid Steph's wrath if you can."
"I'll try," Tim laughed.
"It's good to see you again, Jason. Try to keep these two out of trouble, okay?"
"I think they'll manage," Jason said.
"Take care of yourself, Little d."
"I'm not so little anymore Grayson," Damian reminded him.
"No… you're not. I'm proud of you Damian. I'm proud of all of you."
"Thanks Dick" Tim said.
Jason just nodded his agreement and mutual affirmation. Damian turned his head away, but his body language screamed his thanks. Grayson just smiled, and quietly slipped out of the room.
The three remaining Robins stayed there for a moment without saying anything. Then Jason glanced at the ceiling. "I'll have to head out too, Tim. They'll be waiting for me to kick their butts. Can't disappoint, you know."
Tim nodded. "Don't' send too many too the hospital, eh?"
Jason nodded. "It saves me from having to come back and keep you company."
With that, Jason pulled Tim into a quick embrace, then detached and launched up into the roof, replacing the ceiling tile before disappearing from view.
"I guess it's just you and me then," Tim said, as he slipped back into his bed.
Damian said nothing; he didn't even look at Tim. His gaze was fixed solidly on the floor, and his eyes told Tim that he was lost in thought.
"I am proud of you too, you know. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but over the years I really have come to respect you."
Damian just glanced at him.
"And I think you make an excellent Nightwing."
"Better than I did a Robin? Did I even count as a real Robin?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't you?"
"After what happened with you, Father promised that he'd never take on another young partner. And he kept that promise. He wouldn't even take on his own son… He didn't want me…"
"He does want you, Damian. He wants all of us. He just doesn't know how to say it. He actually told me that he was proud of me today, of all of us."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Tim smiled. "I know he never shows it, but he does care about us. And I am definitely sending this to the others too." There was a lighthearted pause. "Damian, I know that you were never trained by Bruce, but believe me when I say that you are a Robin. After Bruce disappeared and Dick took up the cowl, the two of you became Batman and Robin. You may not have been trained by Bruce, but you were trained by the Bat, and that makes you just as much of a Robin as any of us. And I know that we have never been the closest, but I want you to know that I have always been proud of you. I hung up the cape and I don't regret that decision, but Gotham still does need a hero. It needs you as much as it needs Terry and any other vigilante. I think that you were right when you took up Nightwing's mantle, and I am inspired by the man that you are today. The cape and cowl life wasn't for me, but it is for you. And we, your brothers, will support you in that. We're all proud of you and we all love you. Whether we can say it and show it or not."
"You're pretty good at saying it," Damian said, a small smile dancing on his lips. "Thank you, Drake."
"Any time. Anywhere." Tim smiled, repeating Grayson's words.
Damian headed to the window and moved out, closing it behind him, but he left it open a crack for a moment afterwards. "I am proud of you too, Tim. You have inspired me more than I know how to say. You all have." And then he was gone. A true son of the night.
"Thank you, Damian."
Tim watched the sun come up as he prepared to face his wife and kids, which he knew he would once it reached its zenith. As he sat and waited, a question passed through his mind. Should they bring Terry into their group? He was still new to this life and even though he had Bruce, there was a lot that he could learn from the individual brothers as well, especially since Jason was teaching a whole flock of future Robins. But no, Tim thought. This isn't for him…. He's Batman. We're Robin.