As the weeks went by Dick came by more often. Bruce and Dick's relationship did improve, Tim opened up more to them. Tim's cast came off things were good at Wayne Manor, for the most part.
Tim had more nightmares than usual, he would wake up in a cold sweat and remember every detail. It would start out happy, he was at the circus, and his parents weren't fighting for once. Getting hugged by Dick and then under the tent, the wires slightly creaking. John Grayson falling with Mary Grayson, still holding his wrists, Dick climbing down from the crow's nest crying as if he'd never stop. He wondered if he had them more often because Dick looked so much like his father.
He had done research and found that if you fell asleep, and were warm, you were less inclined to have nightmares. Tim found it helped a little, he was glad he hadn't woke up anyone. Once he had woke up screaming, but Bruce and Jason were on patrol and Alfred was in the cave. So his scream remained unheard. He liked to read after a nightmare, Alfred let him visit the library and take out all the books he could read, so that was good he thought.
Bruce noticed that Tim seemed tired a lot lately, He wondered if need to go to bed earlier. He seemed normal enough, but at breakfast he yawn four times. Last night coming home after patrol the light in his room was still on. Bruce wondered what he was doing.
"Tim, are getting enough sleep?" Bruce asked after breakfast.
"I think so. I'm just a little sleepy this morning, that's all." He replied, he hoped he would let it drop.
"Are you having any nightmares? Do you feel sick anything like that?" Bruce placed his large hand on Tim's forehead.
"I have had a few nightmares, but I am fine." He want to lie, but surely Batman could tell if was lying.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Bruce looked at his small blue eyes as they filled with wonder. Whenever Tim was at Drake Manor no one cared if he had a nightmare. His parents were gone and the housekeeper didn't care. It was so strange that someone cared. He wondered, why telling someone would help? Bruce pointed to a sofa and they sat down.
"Mr. Wayne why would telling you help?" He fidgeted with his hands as he asked.
"Well, when Dick and Jason have nightmares, sometimes they tell me it makes them fell less alone." Bruce replied. That made sense to Tim.
"It's the nightmare I always have. When I was younger I went to the circus and Dick's parents fell. I've tried everything I could to stop it." Tim said.
"How long have you had that nightmare?" Bruce asked. He put his arm reassuringly on Tim's shoulder.
"I had the first nightmare the night it happened, after that a few times a month." He looked at his feet dangling off the sofa.
"You can always come to me or Alfred if you have another nightmare." Bruce offered. That was nice Tim thought, but he wasn't a baby. He could imagine his father if he ran to him after a nightmare. His father would have slapped him and tell him to be a mature person. His mother was a heavy sleeper so waking her would be a miracle in itself.
He would not be a nuisance to Mr. Wayne, Batman didn't need any distractions.
A little while later Jason and Tim decided to play hide and seek. Running and shouting chorused through the old manor. Bruce smiled as they ran around playing.
The smile dropped when Tim ran into him, more importantly, the syringe of sodium pentothal Bruce was carrying to the Batcave. Bruce couldn't believe it. Little nine year old, Tim Drake ran into him while he was hold truth serum, effectively injecting himself with it. Jason materialized beside him, as Tim sat down dazed.
"Are you alright? I never thought that would happen, I am so sorry." Bruce said. When Tim didn't answer he asked, "Do you know who I am? Who you are."
"I know you didn't mean to, you're Batman you never hurt the innocent. I am Timothy Jackson Drake." Jason and Bruce exchanged glances.
"How'd you figure it out Tim?" Jason asked. Tim still sitting down with a dazed expression made a face.
"It was pretty simple. I saw the last show of the Flying Graysons, a little later Robin showed up doing jumps and flips only few acrobats could. I looked up what happened to Dick Grayson, when I saw you adopted him," He pointed to Bruce. "It clicked, I knew whoever was Batman had to have money and a large setup."
Tim looked at Bruce. "What was in that?"
Bruce grimaced, "Truth serum."
"That makes sense. I never told anyone, I knew your identity. I would die before I told." He looked at both of them pleadingly. "Don't send me away. Please, I promise I will be good."
Bruce was a man of few words and hugs. He pulled Tim into a hug as he started to cry overwhelmed; by the thought of living by himself after living at Wayne Manor. For all his trying he got attached, he didn't want to leave.
"Shh, it's okay. You'll always be welcome here. I'm not going to send you away." He pulled Jason in the hug too. They stared that way for a while Tim crying Bruce reassuring him and Jason awkwardly patting him on the back.
When Tim stopped crying they sat in the floor. Jason had his hand on Tim's shoulder.
"It's cool that you learned our identities, now I can tell you crazy awesome stories about being Robin. I can teach you to fight and we can kick Dick's butt when we spar." Jason laughed. "You like my little brother, I am never sending you away. I would beat up anyone who suggested it."
Tim smiled when Jason said that. "I'm sorry, I cried I shouldn't have done that."
Bruce smiled and replied, "You know how many times, Dick and Jason cried? A lot, they were worse than teen aged girls." Tim sniffled.
"Let's go get some cookies, I am so sorry that I accidently injected you with sodium pentothal."
Alfred shook his head when Bruce walked into the kitchen looking guilty, Tim was sniffling like he had been crying long and hard, and Jason had his arm around Tim's should smiling. Jason was thinking about cookies.
"What happened?" honestly nothing surprised Alfred anymore.
"Tim, knows our identities!" Jason said happily.
"How did that happen, why is he crying?" Alfred asked as Bruce looked even guiltier.
Alfred listen to Jason tell the story between bites of snickerdoodle cookies. Some things could still shock him, Alfred thought. Half of Gotham would never come close to Batman's identity yet, a child knew and kept it quiet.
"Master Timothy, you are a genius." Alfred looked at the small child that was as smart, as he was insecure.
That night Jason gave Tim a tour to the Batcave and rules where laid down.
1. Bruce, Jason, Dick or Alfred had to be there with him.
2. No touching anything alien in origin
3. No one could be told of its existence
Tim gladly accepted the rules and was speechless at the Batcave. Life kept getting better Tim thought to himself. He and Jason had fun as, Jason reenacted cases with a flourish making his part bigger as he retold it. He went to bed when they went on patrol.
That night he didn't have any nightmares. It was refreshing, to say the least. He felt relieved that Bruce wasn't going to kick him out, Jason had told him he was like his little brother. Alfred told him he was a genius. It was strange he felt… loved.
The next morning when Jason was in the middle of retelling the last night's patrol, full in kicking and imitating a the bad guys, Dick showed up.
"Jason, what are you doing? Tim don't look Jason has gone crazy pretending he's Robin." He started nervously laughing. "Bruce why aren't you freaking out."
"I know Nightwing. " Tim said laughing at the face Nightwings was making.
"It's true, he figured it out because you love to showboat as Robin." Jason said laughing at Dick too.
Bruce explained to Dick, minus the crying in the floor and awkward hugs. Dick was surprised.
"You stabbed him with SODIAM PENTOTHOL!" Dick exclaimed.
"It was an accident, even Tim said so." Bruce said, he still felt guilty because of it.
"I will never let you live this down, Bruce. Keep all sharp objects away from Bruce, he is not to be trusted!" Dick said laughing.
All that day Dick would look at Bruce and burst out laughing. Jason was catching Tim up on his Robin escapades, Jason loved having someone he could tell stories to. He could find no better audience than Tim, who listened with rapt attention.
Spring slowly had given way to summer, July hit and a package was delivered to a Timothy J. Drake from his parents. It was large and heavy; it felt like books. Tim looked at with delight, his parents hadn't forgotten his birthday this year! Alfred carried the package to the kitchen and handed Tim scissors.
Tim tore into it revealing books… just learning to read books. Alfred watched as Tim's delight faded.
"What is it, Master Timothy?" Alfred asked. Tim forced a smile, he was glad they remembered.
"Nothing Alfred, see what my parents got me as a present." He held up "Pete The Cat and His Groovy Buttons". Alfred knew that for a child that had read all of Tolkien's work, kid books seemed like a mess of nonsense.
Alfred would make sure that Tim would have better birthday present. His birthday was eighteen days away, Jason would have ideas. Jason and Tim were closer than most brothers Alfred reflected.
AN
So anyways, I hope you liked this chapter, PLEASE review.
Up next Jack and Janet come to town.
Sleeping under more blankets, being warm does help with nightmares. I had some reaccuring nightmares and being warm really helped.
If you like Young Justice and wierd&funny stories check out the one I wrote called "No One Was Ever The Same." Haha I can't look at pizza the same after writing it.