Chapter 3: Silence is Golden

Tim's POV

Tears fell from my eyes as I stood in-between Bruce and Dick, holding onto both of their hands. My parents were being buried today. They were gone. Father would hit me and yell at me whenever he was home and Mother would scream at me and lock me in my room, without dinner, but they were my parents and they loved me. Didn't they? I loved them.

I looked away from the tombstones and up at Bruce and Dick. What if they don't want me anymore? I don't want to be alone again… All I have to do is be quiet and stay out of their way. Then they won't send me away. Maybe if I'm good, I can stay.

********Break********

So far, the library is my favorite room in my new house. I read practically every book in my old home. The Wayne's have a lot more to choose from. I picked up a copy of Gone with the Wind and took a seat on the sofa in the library.

"Timmy?"

I glanced up from my book and found Dick coming towards me with something behind his back. Did I do something wrong?

He smiled at me as he took a seat beside me. "Close your eyes." He ordered as I tensed up. Is he going to hit me? What did I do wrong? Despite my sudden fear, I closed my eyes as I felt him place something on the book in my lap.

"You can look now."

I opened my eyes to find a stuffed monkey sitting on the book smiling up at me. A bright yellow ribbon with images of bananas on it was tied around the monkey's neck. Yellow and red are my favorite colors. Wait, is this for me? But, Mother never allowed me to have one before. I glanced up at Dick as he studied me carefully before looking back down at the monkey. Very carefully I reached out and stroked the soft fabric before picking the monkey up and squeezing him to my chest.

Dick's POV

I smiled as Timmy squeezed his new stuffed animal and grinned up at me. He didn't even flinch when I pulled him into my lap and ruffled his hair.

"Dick, Tim has an appointment with Leslie in an hour." Bruce said as he appeared at the doorway.

I nodded. It's been three days and Timmy hasn't uttered a single word yet. Besides, we wanted to get him checked out.

********Break********

Bruce's POV

"Well?" I asked after she had finished her examination and pulled me aside as Dick took Tim to get a lollipop and a sticker.

"He's far behind in his development. He's small for his age and you need to be careful with him. He has a very weak immune system. He'll become ill very easily-"

"What about his speech?" I asked as I watched Dick hand Tim a lollipop.

"He's capable, but I think something traumatic may have happened to him."

"Like what?" I asked turning back to her.

"Bruce, the boy's been abused. I found scars alongside his back from what I believe to have been a belt. He shies from contact of any sort; he flinches and prepares himself for an impact. He thinks he is going to be beaten, it's the only contact he's had. Something's holding him back from speaking."

Jack and Janet had been abusing their only child and I never even knew the boy had existed. And Tim gets sick so easily. There's no telling how long he's been on his own.

"What do I do?" I asked wearily.

"He may outgrow it overtime, but I'd probably get a psychiatrist."

Just to let ya'll know, Tim's going to start talking soon, he's going to find out about Batman, and Jason's about to figure out that having a little brother isn't that bad.

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