A/N: Tim's love life hits a snag when he has to attend the cotillion, the dance where society's teens are now eligible to date. Not only that, when he is sent to Europe to meet with Wayne Enterprise business partners to gain support for his Wayne Foundation Neon Knights Project, Tim is presumed dead when the plane he was on suddenly explodes and nose dives into the Atlantic Ocean.

Red Robin Rising

by

AJRedRobin and JasonToddLover

Part 11: Broken Hearts

Samantha ran crying into the garden. 'How could Tim even think about that girl? He didn't even look at me when I came out of my room. She was awful. Tim didn't even stop her from slapping me,' Samantha fell onto the damp ground, not caring if it spoiled her dress. She fell in among the roses and cried. 'I thought he loved me. Why did I agree to leave my home? I want to go home, but my parents are dead, my village destroyed. I have no home to go to.'

"Sammie," Tim called out to his girlfriend, his lover. "Sammie, please answer me."

"Go away," Samantha snapped.

"Sammie, I'm sorry. I didn't know she would do that."

"You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't."

"She acted like she knew you," Samantha accused.

"I don't know her," Tim argued.

"You followed her orders."

"I was being polite. I'm the host."

"Why didn't you tell her no? Why didn't tell her you have a girlfriend?"

"I tried."

"Well you didn't try hard enough!" Samantha spat out.

"Sammie . . . "

"And don't call me that," Samantha screeched back. "I don't ever want to speak to you, again!" Samantha turned away then dashed back to the Manor.

Tim was crushed. "But I . . . I told her to leave." Tim's shoulders were slumped as he reentered the Manor.

"There you are," Dick said. "Everyone wondered where you went."

"I needed some air."

"Come on Timmy, there are a couple more girls asking for you."

"I don't want to talk to any more girls."

"Dad's not going to like that," Dick said. "The cotillion is supposed to . . ."

"Stuff it Dick!" Tim shouted. "I don't care about any old cotillion!"

Tim ran through the hall and up the stairs to his room slamming the door. Tears filled his eyes as his heart broke. He did try to defend Sammie. What was he supposed to do? Elizabeth kept talking. 'She grabbed my arm, tried to keep me from leaving,' Tim thought. 'I should have ran after Sammie the minute she left.'

Someone knocked on Tim's door. He thought maybe it was Sammie, but when he opened the door, he saw Elizabeth Goodfellow standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Tim questioned.

"You're not going to get rid of me that easily."

"I already have a girlfriend," Tim stated.

"I don't care. Keep the little bitch if you want, but I'll be your wife."

Tim's eyes narrowed. "We're too young to get married. Besides, I'd never marry a girl like you."

"You will marry me, or I'll tell the paparazzi that you had sex with that girl out in the garden, that you raped her. I'll ruin your reputation."

"Why are you doing this?" Tim demanded.

"Because I can and everyone loves a juicy scandal," Elizabeth moved closer.

"I won't do it."

"You better," Elizabeth caught out of the corner of her eye that Samantha's door was open a crack. She suddenly draped her arms around Tim's neck and planted a big kiss on his lips. Tim fell back against the doorframe. His eyes went wide when he saw Samantha's face staring back, her eyes filled with unbridled rage and tears. She slammed her door shut and burst into tears. Tim struggled to remove Elizabeth's arms from around his neck. When he finally got them unclasped, he pushed her away.

"You tricked me."

"I'll make sure to have Daddy send out the wedding invitations."

"You're delusional." Tim got an unsettling feeling in his stomach. He didn't like the way things were turning out. Who was this Elizabeth Goodfellow? Why was she pursuing him like he was the last boy on Earth?

"Tim, we need to talk," Dick came up the stairs. He had a very serious look on his face.

"Fine, we'll talk in your room," Tim grabbed Dick's arm and pulled him along into Dick's room and shut the door. He cracked it open just enough to watch Elizabeth make her way down the stairs with a satisfied grin.

"Tim, your behavior downstairs was deplorable."

"Good, she's gone."

"Look at me when I'm talking to you."

"I'm sorry, but I had to get away from Elizabeth."

"The girl at the dance? What about her?"

"She's delusional. She wants me to marry her and she said some awful things about Sammie."

"Tim, this cotillion is supposed to be an opportunity to establish a cover . . . "

"A cover?" Tim questioned. "Like what Bruce does?"

"Well, um . . . "

"Dick that's not me. And I love Sammie, well I did. She just told me she doesn't want to speak to me ever again."

"Wait, she said that?" Dick questioned. "I thought she understood."

"Dick, she doesn't understand. Elizabeth Goodfellow not only insulted her, she slapped Sammie and now Sammie thinks I did nothing to stop it. And I'm pretty sure, she saw Elizabeth kiss me, too."

"Elizabeth kissed you?"

"Yeah. I had to pry her off of me."

"Bummer."

"You're telling me. How am I supposed to face Sammie in the morning?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe I don't have to," Tim stocked out of Dick's room and went to his own. He pulled out a suitcase and started packing it. Tim didn't realize that Dick had followed him.

"Where are you going?"

"To my apartment," Tim stated.

"Your apartment. You don't have to go that far."

"Well I can't stay here knowing the girl I want is living right across the hall and she's just rejected me."

"I'm sure it's only a misunderstanding."

"What part 'I don't ever want to speak to you again' don't you understand?"

"Tim, you're over reacting," Dick said.

"No, I'm not. Not only that Elizabeth Goodfellow threatened to tell the paparazzi that I raped Sammie. Everyone saw her crying."

"That's bad."

"You're telling me. She's going to blackmail me into marrying her."

"You know, maybe it might be good if you went to your apartment until things cool down. I can talk to Samantha."

"Thanks, Dick," Tim continued to pack a bag then went to talk to Alfred to see if he could get a ride into town. He avoided the other guests, not wanting to see anyone else. He just hoped everything would blow over with Elizabeth Goodfellow. That girl scared the living daylights out of him. He knew there was something that wasn't right about her. Maybe he could figure it out from his nest, find out what boarding school Elizabeth had attended. Tim wouldn't get that opportunity. Someone else took that moment to change his itinerary.

Bruce found Tim in the kitchen talking to Alfred.

"Going somewhere?"

"I was thinking about spending some time in the city."

"Change your plans. Here," Bruce handed Tim a list of names, a plane ticket, and a passport. "Lucius handed me this before I left the office. He also thought you might like a traveling companion. I understand you know each other."

"Who?"

"Tamara Fox, you and Lucius daughter will be leaving in the morning. She can brief you on all the European partners and also act as your translator, since she knows several languages. You're to go to London first then travel by train for the other five."

"When am I leaving?" Tim asked.

"Tomorrow morning. You'll be meeting Tamara at the airport."

"Okay. I'll need to get all of my Neon Knights information together."

"That's already taken care of."

Tim actually released a sigh of relief. In fact, this was going to give him time away from everyone, especially from Elizabeth Goodfellow. He'll have to deal with her when he returns. His only regret was Samantha. He wasn't going to have time to say goodbye or plead his case with her a second time. His flight was scheduled to leave at nine in the morning and he needed to be at the international terminal for seven. Tim just hoped to be able to repair their relationship on his return.

Continues with Part 12: Raiders in the Sky