A/N: Tim is in Europe acting as Bruce's eyes and ears for an embezzler who ripped off Wayne Foundation. Tim discovers someone he did not expect to see.

Takes place two years after Nightwing #30 and Grayson #1

The Return After Death

By

AJ

Two years before: Red Robin looked upon the face of Dick Grayson. He looked like he could be sleeping. Something in him wanted to break, but he wouldn't let it.

'NO! NO! I don't believe it. I won't! He . . . He can't be . . . This is some kind of sick joke. He's going to get up any moment and say April Fools.'

But the figure wearing the Nightwing uniform only lay there. Finally the tears fell, silently, but in Red Robin's heart he still would not believe that Dick was dead.

Two years later: "Yeah, I know," Tim said as he talked with the person on the other line. "I'll be careful. They haven't yet. I did track him to Switzerland. I should have the stolen cash returned by tonight."

Tim took a sip of the hot coco he had been drinking. It had gone cold, but it still tasted good. He was about to put down his cup when he spied a familiar face in the crowd, one he should not have been able to see. Had he seen a ghost? No the person had to be real.

"Gotta, go. I'll contact you later." Tim quickly hung up the phone. He threw down some money on the table and started to follow the person, keeping him in his sights. He ducked into a shop doorway when the person turned in his direction. When they continued on their way, Tim resumed his tracking of the person. They must have played that game half a dozen times, the person turning to question if they were being followed, and Tim making certain he wasn't seen. They both reached a point where the crowd thinned out enough where Tim tossed a tiny tracking device that attached itself to the person's clothing. Tim then disappeared back into the crowd and turned on a special button built into his watch. When he reached an alleyway, where it was dark and secluded, Tim changed clothes and became Red Robin. He resumed his tracking, this time taking to the rooftops.

The blip suddenly came to a halt and Red Robin realized the person he had been tracking was right behind him. He whirled around only to be struck hard to where darkness claimed him very quickly.

Red Robin came to and he found himself lying on a bed in a one-room apartment. The size of the room could fit inside his apartment back in Gotham. A familiar figure stood by a sink then came over and placed a cold washcloth on his forehead along with an ice pack for this aching jaw. Red Robin could see the man was angry.

"Tim, what are you doing here?"

"So, you really are alive," Tim answered, realizing the familiar person had called him by his real name. "Everyone believes you're dead, Dick."

"Not everyone," Dick answered.

"Bruce," Tim responded. "I should have known. Why the charade?"

"It was necessary," Dick answered.

"For whom?" Tim was getting angry. "Dammit Dick, I wept at your grave. I didn't want to believe it. I questioned the validity of your death. How could you do this to us?"

"I didn't want to, but you know my identity was compromised. I couldn't be Nightwing any more. And Bruce gave me a different purpose, a different mission, but it required that Dick Grayson and Nightwing stay dead."

"For how long?" Tim asked.

Dick didn't answer.

"For how long?" Tim asked again more forcefully, demanding an answer.

"Go home Tim," Dick said instead. " Forget you even found me. But the way, why are you here?"

"Someone embezzled money from the Wayne Foundation. I came here to get it back."

"Do you know who?" Dick questioned, old habits dying hard.

"What does it matter to you? As far as everyone's concerned, you're dead. It's not your case." Red Robin rose from the bed and headed to the window preparing to leave. "You've made it perfectly clear you've moved on."

"Wait, it's not like that," Dick said. "Please don't go away angry. Let me explain."

"So, explain," Red Robin waited.

"Batman sent me here to seek out a group trying to get rid of all our masks. In order to do that, I can't hide behind one any more. The Crime Syndicate saw to that, but in order to find out I had to remain dead to protect everyone."

"Don't you know how much it hurt?" Tim said. "To see you lying there in that coffin? It was worse than seeing my parents. You're my brother." Tears threatened to slip through the mask.

"I know, I'm sorry," Dick said. "I was there."

"What?"

"I was there. I wanted to go to you and Jason, but I couldn't. It was so surreal seeing myself lying there."

"It's been two years Dick. When are you coming home?"

"Soon, Baby Bird, soon."

"Can you at least email me to let me know you're all right?" Tim asked.

"I have been," Dick gave his little brother a sly smile.

"Wait, those emails that were signed by Bruceson were yours? I started seeing those six months ago and every week since then."

"Yeah," Dick replied. "Did you save them?"

"Yeah, strangely enough I did. They intrigued me."

"Tell Bruce that I emailed you. I had to. There's information I wanted you to have and I knew it would be safe with you. I couldn't contact Batman if on the off chance that it could be traced."

"But you could send it to me," Red Robin replied. "You're the one who embezzled the money."

"Well, how else was I going to get you to come to Europe," Dick stated.

"You knew I'd be here and you knew I'd follow you."

"You are one of the best Detectives in the business. Don't worry I'll make certain the money is returned. Neat trick with that tracking device, but you really should go."

"I've missed you, Dick," Tim said.

"I've missed you, too Tim. I'll be home soon. And Nightwing will return."

"I'll look forward to it."

Red Robin exited the window, his heart feeling lighter. His brother was alive and he trusted him. He wasn't lost. And he would look forward to the day his brother would return home.

End