Thank you guys for all the feedback!
As for this chapter… all I can say is read to the end xD Enjoy!
August 3rd, 2019. 23:11
They all just… stared. Shock written on all their faces, and neither of them able to utter a single word. How could they? How could anyone even possibly describe what they had just witnessed? Tears were streaming down Dick's face, and tears were burning in Bruce's eyes but he didn't dare to let them fall.
He had to be strong for his family, and yet, he couldn't get himself to turn around.
He couldn't get himself to turn away to face his family. Dick.. Dick who already lost so many people in his life, too many people. Jason who pretended to be strong, and pretended that he didn't care, but actually cared too much for his own good. Alfred.. who loved all the boys despite their flaws, who loved him despite his flaws.
And Damian… he finally turned around, biting back the tears, but his youngest son wasn't as successful as he was. He could see his son digging his fingernails into the palms of his hands, and his arms twitching as if he wanted to hurt someone, hurt himself.
"Damian-" Dick was the one to eventually speak up, but the youngest snapped his attention to his oldest brother, staring at him with wide eyes before taking a step back, and another one. "Dami!" Dick called out, but Damian was already gone before he could reach out, sprinting out of the cave.
"Leave him be." Alfred spoke softly, barely keeping the tears at bay himself. Bruce swallowed thickly, reluctantly looking back to the screen again, where his second youngest son was just murdered on.
August 3rd, 2019. 10:52. That morning.
"Morning Alfie." Dick muttered groggy, sitting down at the table. "Morning Dami." He adds softly. Damian huffs, ignoring him with a scowl on his face. Dick doesn't comment on it, watching Alfred walk over to him.
"Good morning to you Master Dick." Alfred comments, putting down a plate of breakfast and a cup of coffee in front of the former Robin. Dick smiles slightly.
"You're a lifesaver Al." Dick says, and Alfred had known Dick long enough not to comment on it.
"I suspect patrol was no success last night, I did not wait up as it was getting rather late." Alfred said, but Dick waved him off.
"That's okay, we stayed out really late." Dick shrugs. "We thought we had a lead on Tim, but it turned out to be a dead end." Dick mutters. Damian scowls besides him, but doesn't open his mouth to say something. It had been a long night for sure, and they had stayed out well after sunrise.
But it wasn't just last night, it was the last few days that was taken a toll on all the family members. They had done nothing but search for clues and sleep. Alfred was the only one that kept reminding them to eat and not exhaust themselves completely, because they absolutely would otherwise.
"You will find Master Timothy, I am sure of it." There was a loud cling from Dick's side, and Dick snapped his head towards side, but Damian had already slid off his seat. Before either of them could say anything, Damian had disappeared from the room, storming towards the stairs.
Dick sighs, turning back to his plate again.
"Dear..-" Alfred commented, and Dick glances up with a lost expression.
"I don't know what to do Alfie, he's been so irritable lately, or is that just me?"
"I have certainly noticed a change in Master Damian, he is more aggravated as he usually is." Alfred says sadly, and Dick nods.
"I thought he was okay after our talk, but there's clearly something wrong." Dick mutters, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't think it's just his guilt, we already talked about that."
"You know how stubborn Master Damian can be." Alfred says, and Dick snorts.
"I'm well aware." Dick huffs, a small smile on his face before it quickly disappeared. "I just don't know what to do Alfred, Tim's gone, Jason is going on a rampage and I can't stop him, and I'm getting really worried." Dick mutters, looking then.
"Then talk to him Master Dick." Alfred says, and Dick glances up at him. "It is not difficult to see how much the boy looks up at you, he will open up to you." The butler finishes and Dick frowns slightly. There was a short silence, before Dick nods slowly, standing up.
"You're right, as always." Dick chuckles, and Alfred gives his oldest grandson a warm smile.
"I always am, now get going." Alfred says, waving him off. Dick grins, following the advice and going after Damian. Despite all the years of his training, and what he claimed, the youngest of the family was predictable, and Dick knew he would've fled to his room, so that's where he would go right now.
His blue eyes trailed over to Tim's door, usually slightly ajar at this moment, but now firmly shut. And it only served as another punch to the gut. We will get you back Timmy, I promise.
Dick quietly made his way over to Damian's door, carefully pushing it open and looking into the room. His youngest brother was sitting on the ground, Alfred the cat curled up around him. Damian was absently scratching the cat's head, but his eyes were focused on the window.
"Does he know?" Damian was the first one to speak up, and Dick was startled slightly. Not because he thought Damian didn't know he was there, because of course he did, but because he hadn't thought that Damian would be the first one to speak up, usually it was the other way around.
Dick frowns at the question, closing the door and walking over to Damian, stopping in front of him and kneeling.
"Does who know?" He asks, and Damian whirls around, revealing a tear stained face.
"Does Drake know I don't hate him?" Damian bites out, another tear trailing down his face. Dick can feel his heart break at the admission, staring at Damian's eyes. Often so full with anger, now filled with unspeakable sadness.
"Dami-"
"I never told him." Damian interrupts with a glare, sniffling. Dick smiles sadly.
"He never told you either, little D." Dick comments, carefully sitting down but Damian shoots him another glare. Not like Dick would ever believe his little brother was truly angry at him. Angry at himself probably, but also mostly sad.
"He did not love me." Damian retorts, and Dick frowns. Did he truly not know…? Dick shook his head mentally. Of course he didn't know. That boy doubted that someone loved him even if that person said it every day. Of course he wouldn't know Tim loved him if he never said it.
"He did Damian, he loves you."
"I tried to kill him." Damian huffs, crossing his arms. "Multiple times." He adds softly, looking away.
"We're a weird family." Dick chuckles, but the glare Damian sent him told him that Damian didn't appreciate the joke. "Tim knows you changed, and even if you two constantly bicker. He loves you, he told me himself." Dick tells his youngest brother, who slowly turned his head back to Dick.
There was doubt in his green eyes, something that seemed to foreign for Damian but actually wasn't. You just had to look for the signs, and know he would hide it with anger, which hadn't worked as well lately as it had before.
"How can he love… me?" Damian asks, nose scrunching up slightly. It was almost adorable, and Dick would've coed any other moment, but not now. Not when his little brother was still so obviously feeling guilty about everything, and not when his other little brother was off somewhere.
"Just like I can, Dami." Dick whispers, finally giving in and wrapping his arms around the current Robin. He waited for just a second, but Damian didn't fight back, so he crushed him against his chest. "Beneath all that anger you're caring, you're compassionate, and you want a place somewhere."
Damian frowns, opening his mouth to say something but Dick beat him to it.
"I know you don't want to admit how badly you want somewhere to belong, but we can all see it Dami. And you deserve that, you deserve everything you want because that person we met over a year ago, that wasn't you. You showed how good you can be, you have showed me the real Damian. And we all love him." Dick finishes, squeezing Damian slightly.
The younger boy is silent for a moment, before he squirms in the hold until he could look at his older brother.
"Did Timothy feel the same way?" Damian whispers.
"Tim knows what's it's like to not fit in, or be loved unconditionally, you two are quite similar in a way. He wants to get to know you, but you don't allow him." There wasn't an accusation in Dick's voice, just a statement. That's why Damian always liked Dick, he never held him responsible for the things he couldn't control, and he never seemed to judge him.
Unconditional love.
"So it is my fault." Damian mutters, and Dick frowns, shaking his head.
"No it isn't." Dick says, tipping Damian's chin up. "Sometimes I wish you would get along, actually I always do, but I know you're trying, and Tim knows that as well. But he has his own problems as well, and while he's ready to let you in, wants you to let him in, he is also afraid of letting people in."
"Why?"
"Because of his own parents. They neglected him most of his life." Dick explains, and Damian wanted to nod, but he had to be honest to himself; he never knew. "He's afraid to let people in to avoid getting hurt again."
"I never-" Damian whispers, shaking his head. "I don't want to hurt him." Not anymore. I'm not that person anymore.
"I know little brother." Dick squeezes Dick again. "And you can tell him once we find him, okay?" Damian just nodded, not trusting his voice.
August 3rd, 2019. 23:01
"Bruce!" Dick hollered, panic seeping in his voice. Everyone immediately snapped their heads towards the first Robin. Bruce understood Dick's scream for help, rushing over to the computer. Dick was already from his seat, allowing Bruce to sit down. The entire screen was red, a crimson red.
With the name 'Bruce' written on it.
"What the fuck?" Jason cursed, and Alfred was too shocked himself to react either. Damian shuffled towards the screen, eyes focused on the screen. Bruce frowned, starting to type. Nothing showed up on the screen, nothing Bruce did seemed to work.
"How about-" Dick started but just as he opened his mouth, the screen changed, a room coming into focus. There wasn't something unusual about the room, it was a normal room, warehouse rather. There were a few boxes, some crates but they were all pushed to the side, making room in the middle.
It was then that someone was suddenly thrown into the frame.
"Tim!" Bruce shouted, eyes wide with panic. Familiar, all too familiar. He was wearing his Robin uniform, and his arms were shackled together behind his back with handcuffs. Like Jason had. But that wasn't the worst thing.
"It seems like I caught a different bird." The Joker cackled, finally coming into frame as well. He was carrying Tim's staff, and Bruce immediately noticed how it was splayed with bright red. Tim coughed, groaning and curling up into himself as much as he could with his hands still immobilised.
His suit was filled with tears, all seeping blood. HIs face was a mess, and his mask had already been removed.
"Now let's see how much you can take." Joker laughed. "What hurts more-?" Jason froze completely, face draining of all colour at the sentence. He could only hear the faint screams of pain from his immediate younger brother. Blood was rushing through his ears at the familiar sound of weapon hitting flesh.
"Argh!" Tim cried out, snapping Jason back into reality.
"You know birdie, I always wondered about this." Joker spoke, crouching down. Tim muttered something under his breath, sending a glare towards the man. "Not that face, I'm just a fan of your nest." Joker smiled, but Tim just kept glaring at the man above him.
He looked young, younger than he usually looked. Almost as if he had reversed in age. But seeing him in his Red Robin costume, without a mask and so vulnerable.. it broke all of their hearts.
"I was wondering-" The man continues, a smile appearing on his face. "Did Nightbird break his staff in half, or did you put his weapons together." Dick scowled at the question, glaring at the screen even if he knew it was no use. The cackles again, before a sour look comes over him.
"Now you don't have to be so rude, I was just wondering." He almost pouted, but a grin quickly replaced his pout. "Oh I remember having so much fun with the previous Robin, he was really fun to be around." He continues, and just like Jason had done, Tim spit in the Joker's face.
Jason shivered at the parallels, and for a moment it wasn't Tim laying there, it was him.
"Just as feisty." Joker let's out a menacing laugh, not even bothering to wipe off the blood from his face. "But not as fun." Joker murmured, standing up again. He twirled the staff in his hand slightly, clearly not familiar with the weapon before he put on a serious face.
Bruce's eyes widened, knowing what was coming before the Joker even moved. His eyes widened, mouth opening but no sound came out. The staff lifted, and without hesitance, the staff hit Tim's head, snapping it to the sound. Bones breaking, and Tim's body fell to the ground, eyes open.. lifeless.
"TIM!" Dick cried out, but he didn't dare to move. He couldn't be.. he couldn't be. Joker dropped the staff, walking over to Tim.
"Oh dear, who would do this?" Joker said in a serious voice but cackling softly. He put his hand against Tim's throat, a smile on his face before it slowly changed. He furrowed his brow, a dark look on his face. "Now that is no fun." He huffs, standing up.
"Kids these days, they die so easily." Was the last sentence Joker uttered before the feed was cut.
But the image of Tim's lifeless body would forever haunt them.
August 3rd, 2019. 23:29
"Thank you." Dick croaks, accepting the cup of tea Alfred handed him. Alfred just nodded, sitting down next to the original Robin with a sad look on his face. He didn't dare shed tears right now, but he wasn't fooling anyone right now. They all knew he was shaken about Tim, they all were.
Dick wrapped his hands around the cup, relinquishing in the warmth it brought him. As if it was the only thing that would manage to warm him up right now. He didn't even want to believe it. He knew this life was dangerous, he knew that there were risks. And he had always been willing to take those risks, he was willing to die.
But he wasn't ready to let people go.
"I just can't believe it." Dick murmured. Alfred sighs next to him.
"I cannot either." He offers, and Dick takes a shaky sip from the cup. It tasted like it always did, but somehow it also tasted wrong. Dick's head snapped up when a crash sounded from somewhere in the house.
"Did you hear that?" He asks, but Alfred seemed just as lost as he was right now.
But they didn't need to wait long for the answer, as Jason stormed back down, a panicked expression on his face.
"Demon spawn is gone, he just fucking left through the window and his suit is missing too." Jason quickly shouted. "God fucking damnit, I should've fucking predicted this. Of course the little shit-"
"Jason!" Dick snapped, immediately walking over to his younger brother. Jason stopped, glaring at Dick.
"We need to find him, he's gonna do something stupid, I fucking know it."
"Then let's go." Dick affirmed, not waiting for a confirmation and already heading towards the cave. They quickly descended down, almost colliding with Bruce in their haste.
"Bruce he's gone!" Bruce frowned slightly, heart jumping at the scared tone of his oldest son. "Damian left."
Bruce cursed under his breath.
"We need to go after him, he's gonna get himself killed avenging Tim." Jason snapped. "And we need to go now." Jason added, but Bruce shook his head.
"Tim isn't dead." Bruce spoke, and Dick's eyes widened.
"What?" He exclaims. "But.. but we saw him get killed!" Bruce shook his head again.
"The video was fake, that wasn't really Tim." He says, gesturing for his sons to follow him. His youngest son was still screaming at him in his mind it seemed like, but right now, this was more important. He couldn't allow his sons to go out with the false knowledge that their other brother had just been murdered.
It was the entire reason why Damian had just run away. He needed to say this first. Bruce quickly put up the video again, and both Jason and Dick winced at the image.
"Look at his suit." Bruce commented, and Jason narrowed his eyes, glancing at the uniform. But Dick was the first one to spot it.
"His belt." He whispers, whirling around to look at Bruce. "He changed his suit 2 weeks ago, added another compartment but it isn't there." Bruce nods solemnly, clicking something again.
"I ran facial recognition and while it did come up positive, the results were wrong." He said, and both sons glanced at the screen.
"No fucking way." Jason cursed, glancing at the age. 13 years old. It read. "Tim's 16." Jason growled, and Bruce nods.
"It's not him, it's a clone. Whoever cloned him wanted us to believe Tim was dead."
"And the Joker certainly didn't clone Tim." Jason growled, but Dick just stared, information slowly sinking in. Damian had gone out, run away out of cold and regret thinking Tim was dead. Dick's breath hitched. His little brother was on a rampage, not thinking clearly and putting himself in danger for whoever wanted him to believe Tim was dead and…
Dick's eyes widened.
"Tim's alive."
I mean, who actually thought Tim was dead? :3
