Family Ties Chapter 54 Woe is Me
Everything was subdued. A stressful operation was much more draining than a longer but quieter night on patrol. Even Tim was tired, and he hadn't actually done anything but sit in front of a computer. Steph had chosen to stay home, and Jason was making Tim carry his own bag – it was really to spare his aching shoulder, but made it look like they'd had a spat, which wasn't uncommon for them. Cass and Damian were just sleepy.
Tim had been ignoring his classes in favour of his operation analysis report, which by lunchtime was already at six pages, and he was only just finishing with the dentist and later he'd have to integrate everyone else's reports, and hopefully he'd get some sleep before five in the morning. Maybe leaving the report until the morning rather than starting straight away had been a bad idea.
"Tim, eat," Cass told him firmly. Tim glanced up absently from his micro, and took a long draught of soup through a straw before returning to the report.
"At least we've got most of the escaped Arkhamites back," Jason mumbled. "Pity we haven't seen Joker since Vegas."
"Todd, company," Damian reminded him.
"Whatever," Jason grumbled.
"Why so down?" Cass asked. "You're normally better after an intense night."
"I dunno. I just…" he glanced over at Tim, who appeared to be engrossed in his report.
"If you want to talk behind my back, I'll head to the library," Tim said, surprising them. "Get some peace and quiet while I'm at it."
"You'll get Cass to tell you later," Jason pointed out.
"I'm sure she'll edit it so I'm not insulted that you don't like me dictating strategy to you," Tim said drolly.
Jason eyeballed his successor. "Go away."
"Finish your lunch first," Cass insisted.
"Grab my pills?" Tim sighed, before ducking his head to suck up more soup. Jason retrieved and dispensed the medicine, for once not having to listen to Tim's insecurities about his current infirmity. Tim only took his eyes off the micro for a moment while gulping down his food. "I'll meet you at the lockers," he said, rising and departing.
As Tim went out of earshot, Cass turned back to Jason. "Talk."
"Did you hear Tim talking to Stephanie after we all came home last night?" Cass and Damian shook their heads, so he continued. "I could hear all that love and support and companionship, and…I kinda wanted some of that."
"From Tim?" Cass asked dubiously.
Jason glared. "No," he said coolly. "I think I miss Holly."
"The girl you were seeing?" Damian frowned. "Didn't you only part company day before yesterday?"
"Well, yeah, but…" Jason shrugged. "I like her, and I didn't like giving her up, and I kinda hope she contacts me again."
"You have feelings for her," Cass stated.
"Yeah. No. I dunno. Whatever; I'll work it out." He got up and grabbed his and Tim's empty trays and stalked off to brood.
"What will you tell Drake?" Damian asked.
"The truth," Cass shrugged. "Hearing Tim and Steph made Jason regret losing his girl."
Damian nodded slowly. "Todd is…jealous that Drake has a girlfriend?"
"Not quite," Cass corrected. "Jealous Tim has his relationships sorted. He knows what to expect from and what he can give to everyone important to him, and who to turn to when. Jason doesn't, and got too emotionally involved with his Holly."
"Does Todd know that?" Damian asked, aware that Cass' deductions sometimes went beyond what the subject himself had realised.
"No, not yet. I'll let him work it out."
Damian nodded and finished his lunch. "Cain, do you want a boyfriend?" he asked suddenly.
Cass frowned and sipped her drink. "I don't mind either way right now," she decided. "I expect I will start to desire romance sometime in the next few years." She eyed her brother. "You will, too."
"After seeing Todd tied in knots? I'll give it a miss," Damian snorted.
"We'll see," Cass said smugly.
Tim kept his arms wrapped around his girlfriend as she cried into his shoulder. Steph had a tendency to bouts of tearfulness, anxiety and self-criticism while recovering from concussions, but hopefully she'd be over it soon.
"I messed up big time," Steph mumbled. "B's furious, isn't he?"
"Well, he won't exactly be praising you, but I think he's more irritated with Jason," Tim replied dryly. "You didn't do that bad."
"I acted on impulse, jumped in unprepared and got injured for it," Steph sniffled. "Everything I was warned about."
"There was one time about two years ago," Tim narrated. "You were watching three gunmen rob a woman. I was going to catch you up so we could jump them together, but you moved first. Couple blows, two gunshots, you were done. You told me you were acting completely on impulse." He pulled away slightly and looked deep in her eyes, "The woman was about two seconds from getting a knife in her leg. Both bullets come close to hitting you, but you moved out of the way. And you didn't even realise it. You'd seen all the details and they bypassed your brain to your instincts. Impulses aren't all bad; you just have to learn to filter out the emotion driven ones."
Steph's eyes teared up again and she flung her arms round his neck. "Best boyfriend ever!"
Tim just laughed.
