Chapter Twenty nine

Present day…

Tim opted to walk home rather than take a bus or cab, he needed to think and hopefully clear his head, and so he needed to take the long route. After about an hour after leaving the cave and Nightwing seemingly fighting for his life because of him, he arrived at home, five hours after being expected.

He opened the door gingerly, he knew that his father would still be asleep even though he knew his fathers carer Julie would already be up, probably pacing the floor waiting for his return. As expected she was there, sat at the kitchen table not seemingly doing anything except for looking at the clock on the wall. Julie had been caring for Tim's father for a long time and she has filled the place of Tim's mother, which he never really knew after she died when Tim was still a baby, although both of them would never admit to it.

"I'm home" Tim croaked, he wasn't in the mood for talking

"Oh Tim, thank god I was getting worried about you" Julies warm voice was a comfort from Batman's sharp words, she stopped to look at his ghostly pale face and dark eyes "You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, just tired, i'm gonna go up" He knew him being tired was not good, too many questions and he could slip up

"My heavens what's happened! Look at you!" Julie gasped as she looked at Tim as the light caught him properly for the first time

Tim looked down at himself and then into the mirror on the stairs and his stomach turned in panic, with Batman kicking him out of the cave, he had forgotten to clean himself up and still had Nightwing's blood on him, he had to think fast although his head wasn't up to it

"This, oh I uh had another nose bleed, I get them sometimes after flying" Whereas the fact is that he had never had a nose bleed until he became Robin and got into conflicts

"You changed?" Julie raised her eyebrow puzzled

"Yeah, yeah, got most of it on my top"

"Well let me have it and I will wash it, blood stains terribly you know" She reached for the large leather hold haul which was slung over his shoulders which she had noticed had bulked up considerably as had the rest of his body the past year

"No!" He snapped as he jerked the bag from her grip as she jumped back in suprisement, he felt bad for this but he couldn't let her look in the bag as it was the bag that he carried his Robin suit in "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Its alright Tim, I know boys you age have… well they like their privacy" She smiled at his shocked face, but he was in no mood to question what she meant

"Yeah, i'm just tired, night, day, whatever you say"

"Bye Tim" She smiled at him walk up the stairs slowly, he seem so exhausted, he must have a girl, she tough to herself afterwards "lucky girl" She muttered to herself as she went back to her work