Tim stood on top of the highest building in Gotham. If I were to jump off would anyone miss me? He thought. Probably not. Bruce certainly wouldn't miss me. I don't think he even cares about me. All he does is order me around and treat me like shit. Nothing I do is ever good enough for him. Alfred well, Alfred might miss me; but he would get over it. Dick? I think he would miss me he's always been really nice to me anyway not like Bruce at all. They are so different I wonder how they ever got along. Just then he heard a scream from down below. Time to go to work he thought.

When he got home it was late. Bruce was at the computer as usual. Things had been tense between them lately. Tim felt like no one cared about him that they didn't even like him; so he had been more surly and sarcastic than usual, to hide his pain. Bruce had figured it was just Tim being a teenager and so had paid it no mind.

However, it was more than that, much more. Tim was sad and jealous. On top of Bruce treating him like shit and feeling like he didn't care about him he felt-jealousy. He hated to admit it but he was jealous of Dick. To Tim Dick was the golden child who everyone loved and could do no wrong. It wasn't that he didn't' like Dick he did and Dick was always super to him. However, Tim resented Dick for just being. He saw the way that Bruce looked at him the way he treated him so much better than everyone else especially him it made him so angry. Bruce really loved him and Dick loved Bruce it was obvious. Tim would do anything for just one ounce of the affection that Bruce showed Dick. But no, all he got were cold stares and barked orders. Tim wondered why Bruce had even bothered to take him in at all.

Things had gotten especially bad a couple of days ago when for no reason other than he was just tired of it he flipped out at Dick for just asking him how he was. The conversation had gone something like this:

"What's up kiddo?"

"I'm trying to do homework" Tim hissed

"Oh ok"

Silence for a minute.

"Is everything ok?"

"Fine other than the fact that you keep interrupting me."

Dick put a hand on his shoulder.

"You know if there is anything bothering you, you can talk to me I'm a good listener."

That was it for Tim why did Dick have to be so nice all the time?

"You know what golden boy the only thing that is bothering me right now is YOU taking up my air! So why don't you just piss off and leave me alone!"

Dick was shocked. He could see it on his face.

"Whoa Tim what is with this all this hostility? What did I ever do to you?"

"You are around! You are alive! That is enough!"

Bruce had come up from the cave because he had heard the shouting.

"What is going on?"

"Nothing except Timmy's having a flip out."

"My name is not Timmy it is Tim! And If I am having a flip out it is because YOU are bothering me!"

"Tim what is going on?" Bruce asked. Tim had been especially moody lately but nothing like this.

"It's just I was trying to do homework and…"

"and I bothered you by asking you how you are?"

"YES! You bother me just by being around!"

Bruce and Dick both looked shocked.

"Ok Tim maybe you just need some time by yourself we will leave you alone." Bruce said and they both walked away.

Tim wanted to cry. He just wanted Bruce for once do what Dick had done and ask how he was. Ask what was up anything!

"What the hell was that about?" Dick asked when they had gone into the other room.

"I don't know. But I would chalk it up to just normal teenage hormones."

"That seemed a lot more than hormones. Is everything ok? I mean did something like happen?"

"Nothing of note, just the usual stuff you know. Although he has been acting a lot moodier lately."

"Maybe something happened that we don't know about that is upsetting him."

"Maybe, I will have Leslie come in and talk to him she is good with kids."

"Here's a thought why don't you try to talk to him?"

"I don't think he would talk to me. Besides I wouldn't know what to say."

"You used to talk to me."

"That was different."

"How?"

Bruce gave him a glare. "Because it just is-you were different it was easier to get you to open up. Tim is so closed."

Dick sighed. "Bruce you are like the kids father he looks up to you I bet if you just tried-"

Bruce put up his hand. "Enough I am having Leslie come in and talk to him and that is final."

Dick sighed and walked out of the room.

They must really be concerned. Tim thought. That was the only reason he could think of for Leslie being here. Or I just really pissed them off and this is a punishment.

"Hello Tim"

"Hi Leslie"

"How is everything going?"

"Fine"

"Oh yah?"

"Yup"

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"Nope" Tim knew that if he opened up and told her then she would tell Bruce and probably Dick and he didn't want that.

"So there is nothing at all going on in your life that you want to talk about?"

"No"

"What happened the other day?"

"Dick was pushing my buttons"

"By inquiring about your welfare?"

"By interrupting me while I was trying to do schoolwork"

Leslie took off her glasses and looked him dead in the eye. "You know Tim this isn't going to work if you are not honest with me."

"I don't know what you want from me."

"I want you to tell me how you are feeling."

"I'm fine"

Leslie sighed. She had never met a kid this reticent before. After an hour Leslie gave up and left the room Tim was grateful. He had had enough of this lady, who was only pretending that she cared because Bruce was probably paying her, trying to get him to open up.

"Well?" Bruce asked

"He insists that he is fine and that he doesn't want to talk about anything."

Bruce sighed. He was really hoping that Leslie would be able to get through to him.

"Alright thanks anyway Leslie."

"What if you tried to talk to him Bruce?"

"Come on Leslie you know I am not good like that."

"You were good enough for Dick and Jason. Just try it."

Bruce sighed. "Alright"

He walked into the room where Tim was still sitting staring at the ceiling.

"Hey kiddo"

"Hey"

"So what's going on?"

"Nothing"

"Oh yah? That little flip out the other day was nothing?"

"Yes"

"Did something happen at school?"

Man you are so clueless. Tim thought

"No"

"Then why did you flip out on Dick the other day?"

Always defending his golden boy. Tim thought.

"BECAUSE HE WAS BOTHERING ME!" Tim shouted

Bruce was slightly taken aback.

"And I really wish everyone would leave me alone about it."

"Alright if that's what you want." Bruce said and left the room.

That's how they had ended up here in this awkward position that they were in now. Bruce didn't even turn his head to say hi as Tim rode into the cave. He angrily took his uniform off and trudged upstairs and went to bed.

The next day when he got home from school Dick was there. He tried to avoid him, ignore him, but Dick came right up to him.

"So about the other day…"

"Yah I'm sorry"

"What was that about?"

"It's just…" Tim started. He wanted so badly to open up to somebody but he couldn't open up to Dick could he? Then again Tim had wanted somebody all along to care and ask how he was doing and here Dick was doing exactly that. He decided to go for it.

"I feel like Bruce doesn't care about me and I don't even know why he took me in because he always treats me like shit."

Dick pulled up a chair and sat down next to Tim.

"Go on"

"And I don't know why. I don't know what I've done. I do everything he asks me to everything. But it is never enough. Nothing is ever enough. All he does is bark orders at me."

Dick started laughing which infuriated Tim.

"What you think this is funny?"

"No it is just, you sound exactly like me at your age."

"Really?"

"Yah, look Tim take this advice from someone who has been there before. It is not you alright. That is just how he is. He is that way to everybody alright?"

"He's not that way to you. He treats you like gold; like you are his little golden boy who can do no wrong. It is so obvious that he loves you it is not even funny."

Dick laughed again. "You think so? Is that why you called me golden boy the other day?"

"Yah sorry about that."

"Listen Tim, Bruce treats me just as much like shit as he does you. But don't worry he does care in his own way he just doesn't know how to show it. Besides you have to remember that Bruce and I have known each other a long time. We have been through a lot. There have been a lot of ups and downs. So if you think that he acts special to me or loves me more or something like that it just because we have so much history and we are settled in our relationship now. You and Bruce are still finding your way you are still getting to know each other so there are going to be some ups and downs but don't worry one day you will get there."

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

"So you don't think he hates me?"

"He wouldn't have taken you in if he didn't care for you."

Tim nodded he could feel tears welling up in his eyes but he didn't want to cry in front of Dick

"Come here" Dick said and opened up his arms wide.

He let Dick take him in his arms and then he suddenly felt like it was ok and he began to cry. Dick just held him and rocked him back and forth muttering soothing words to him. After a few minutes he let go and looked up at him.

"Ok?"

"Yah"

"Ok" Dick said brushing away his tears.

"It's going to be ok Timmy trust me. And you know that I am always here for you to talk to ok?"

"Yah thanks Dick and I really am sorry about what I said the other day."

"It's ok forget about it."

"Ok"

Dick gave him another hug and then Bruce came in and looked at Tim concerned. Had he been crying?

"What's going on?"

"Nothing just some brotherly bonding time" Dick said

"Everything ok?"

"Yup everything is fine right Tim?"

"Right"

Bruce nodded. He wasn't' sure what was going on but he was sure something had happened.

"You do your homework?"

"Nope I was just about to get started on it."

"Ok then you know you have to have it done before we go on patrol tonight."

"Yes I know." He said and left the room.

"What was that all about?" Bruce asked

"Nothing we were just talking"

Bruce gave him a "you are hiding something from me" look

"He just needed to talk that's all"

"Anything I should know or be concerned about?"

"Nope"

"Alright well I'm glad the two of you are getting along so well, especially after that business the other day.

"Yup we are."

"Ok good. Are you staying for dinner?"

"Sure"

"Ok good. It will be nice to have a family dinner."

That when Bruce and Tim went on patrol Bruce noticed that Tim's demeanor was completely different. He wasn't surly or sarcastic. In fact he was happy and upbeat. That must have been some talk he had with Dick. He thought. Oh well he thought. He didn't care as long as everyone got along.

"Come on Batman let's go!" Tim shouted.

I guess we really are a family after all. He thought as he shot his grapple and they swung off into the night.