Synopsis: Someone has stolen all the money from the Wayne Foundation Youth Charity Fund. Batman and Red Hood go after the man who did it. While doing research on the thief, Tim is hit by a mysterious beam from an odd weapon sitting on a shelf and is de-aged. Oh boy, what are they going to do with a four-year-old Tim?
Part 26: A Cat's Eye View
Selina was sneaking out of one of the guest rooms. She was able to cut and dye her hair in peace, meaning she didn't have to worry about Bruce trying to bend her over the nearest countertop. They've been going at it pretty heavy lately and Selina needed time to herself. After drying her now short black hair, she wanted to look in on Dick's new kitten. Learning who Batman was, it didn't take a rocket scientist to learn who his Robins were over the years. As she was passing Tim's room, she heard the faint sound of sniffling, so she peeked into his room. The bathroom door was open, and the light was on. She came in to see a little one. It couldn't be one of Tim's twins, they were too young. Nor was he one of Jason's twins. They not only where too young, but Jason kept them pretty close. Where did he come from, and why was he crying.
"What's wrong Kitten? Got soap in your eye? Can I ask who you are and what are you doing in Timothy Drake-Wayne's bathroom?"
"I am Tim, and no I don't have soap in my eyes."
"You're Tim? That must be some story. What happened?"
"I was hit with a ray of some sort, and I was turned into this. Now, my life is a mess." Tim started to shiver.
"Mmmmm, because you're tiny?" Selina leaned against the door frame, reached over and grabbed a towel. She picked up Tim and wrapped him in it. "Well, you don't sound tiny. You sound almost mature. Where are your clothes?"
Tim pointed to the bags on the bed. "Over there."
"I take it you went shopping with someone to get something that will fit you, because you couldn't go by yourself.
"Yeah, Jason did," Tim replied. "Funny how you put it. I'm a 17-year-old in a four-year-old's body. And I'm realizing that the longer I stay this way, the harder it's hard on everyone. Well, some of them. I don't think some want me to return to normal. I can't even be with my wife, and I know it's hurting her, but it's hurting me, too."
"Yeah, pretty kitten is having a hard time," Selina purred and stroked Tim's soft hair. She had to admit he was cute. She hadn't seen Bruce's boys at this age, and it was having an affect on her. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. She'd been aware of Samantha's odd moods lately and what would happen. "I heard it's around the time she goes into heat and needs her mate the most for love and pleasure purposes, but right now he's dealing with sibling issues and the matter of her mate being tiny. That must be really rough on her, having to hold back herself.""
"Yeah," Tim confirmed what Selina had observed. "I wish I could help her, but I don't feel right doing it like this. I'm realizing if I want my 17-year-old body back, I'm going to have to find a way to do it myself. Selina, what can you tell me about Cat's eye opals? Especially the pink ones."
Selina walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, drying Tim off. "Hmmmm? Pink is rare. There are a lot of supersticious things associated with cats eye opals, though I won't go into that. I do know that pink opals are associated with healing capabilities, and that they ward off evil spirits but any more than that. I do not know. I haven't come across the pink ones. And I haven't heard of a pink one causing someone to become a child, again."
"There is a pink one. It was used in a gun created by Hugo Strange to turn adults into children. That's what caused me to be like this. I got hit with the beam. If it really does have healing properties, but I don't need healing I need re-aging."
Selina placed Tim on the floor so he could select his clothes. She unconsciously went into his drawers and picked a pair of underwear and realized they weren't going to fit. She looked in the bag and found that Jason had bought two packages of boy's underwear. She placed them on the bed and began laying out Tim's clothes so he could choose what he wanted to wear. She laid down on the bed, so she was on her side and waited for Tim to get dressed.
"Sounds like that gem might be magical after all. Do you have it on you?"
"No. Last time I saw it was part of that gun, but . . ."
"Was it in the cave?"
"Yeah . . ."
"Let's go check it out, kitten." Selina waited until he was done dressing and then I picked him up, placing him on her hip. "Looks like Jason forgot to buy you shoes and socks. We'll have to remedy that, later." She walked over to the elevator, pulled out a private key and they were heading down to the cave.
Tim made the observation that Selina was making herself at home. Now she had a key to the bat cave. Had Bruce given her that key? He wanted to trust her, but at the same time, he wasn't sure. Right now, he couldn't do anything about it, so he decided to trust her for now. 'Selina does seem nice. She did helped me with the business with the Clench. She seems to have changed.' Tim thought. He didn't want to think about the alternative motive that Selina might have with regards to the pink jewel. "I know where the gun is located."
Selina placed Tim down once they were in the cave. She followed Tim so he could show her where the gun with the jewel was kept.
Tim walked over to where the old file cabinets were, in the storage cave. He looked up on the shelf, but the gun wasn't there. "It was right up there. It's been moved."
Selina started to let her thief side in. 'If I was going to hide something, where would I . . . oh . . . ah ha. In there.' Selina pointed to the vault.
Tim immediately picked up on Selina's thoughts. He went through the vault and back through to the other side to the trophy room. Tim found the gun in a trophy case. "The jewel, it's gone." Tim sighed. "It wouldn't have worked anyway. There isn't a way to reverse the beam, at least when used with this gun."
Selina was disappointed, but she didn't show it. "Well, someone removed it. Do you know who?"
"Dick wouldn't have taken it and Jason doesn't know about it. That leaves Damian. He hates me. He's not going to help. The only other alternative is to find another jewel, but after that, I don't know what else to do."
"That jewel is rare. I don't think we can find another one, and if there is another one, I bet some mystic, or someone has gotten their hands on it."
"Mystic," Tim suddenly said, as if a light had gone off in his head. "Of course, Raven. Why didn't I think of her? She might be able to tell me where there is another jewel."
"Raven? The hooded girl from the Titans?"
Tim went over to the uniforms and was about to grab his when he realized it wasn't going to fit. 'Even the mask will be too big and none of the Titans will even recognize me,' Tim thought. "There is a way to contact her. I know who can contact her, but we have to wait until after the full moon."
"Why after the full moon?" Selina questioned.
"Samantha performs this ritual on the full moon."
"Mmmmm . . . Something's telling me we don't have to. You're just choosing to. Who else can contact her?"
"My sons, but right now, my wife is mad at me, too. She probably won't let me near my children. She's been spending all of her time in the nursery or sleeping out in Mother Earth's bubble at night. I can't be with her in this state. It's better if I don't. They've been treating me more like a four-year-old as time progresses. They are forgetting I'm 17. And I'm forgetting that, too. It's time I start acting it and use what skills I do have before I lose them."
"Oh, so you're ignoring her," Selina said teasing. "That's just peachy. No wonder she's so angry. Well, I'm going to get your babies. You wait here. *I started for the elevator*
"Selina, it's not that I'm ignoring her. I can't have sex with my wife like this."
"Who said you have to have sex to show that you love some one?"
"Tonight, is the full moon, part of the ritual involves sex. I can't be there for her . . . And . . . Normally I'd be drawn to her. She chose me. She put a mark on my neck, before all this happened. In this four-year-old body that mark is gone. And even my own wife is starting to see me as four-years-old."
"You wait here."
'Here in the cave?"
"It will be all right," Selina stated. Selina exited the cave, and headed to the second floor once more, and walked into the nursery. Samantha looked so disheveled, not her usual calm self. "Girl, I'm taking these babies."
"What?" Samantha was so confused.
Samantha picked up the twins. One looked just like Tim while the other was like Samantha. They were such cute twins, especially the one that looked like Tim. She was always partial to that particular Robin. He wasn't one who used puns, nore was he a smartmouthed kid like Jason. Tim always showed her respect as as a person. Selina walked out of the nursery with Samntha following her back down to the cave.
"You know, I don't think she's seeing you as a four-year-old. I think she's seeing you as some one she wanted to keep close, but everyone was getting in the way, and she couldn't spend time with you like this in your tiny form. Isn't that, right?"
"You mean my brothers were getting in the way," Tim said. "Correction, My older brothers. Damian hates me."
"Yes," Samantha said approaching Tim.
"And no, that kitten doesn't hate you. He hates that you are getting all of the attention. Don't jump to conclusions."
Tim thought about his recent argument with Damian. He didn't want to arguem the point. He just knew how much vemon there was in Damian's voice, and if he continued to think on that, it might cause him to start crying again. Let's forget about Damian and concentrate on getting me help. Hey, Caleb . . . Caine . . . It's Daddy".
Samanthat didn't say another word. This time, she heard the hurt in Tim's voice, and it broke her heart to hear it, and yet, there was some truth in Selina's words, too. She watched as Selina talked with her husband.
"You know what. You two are gonna have a sit down when we get you returned to your bigger body. And you are not going to fight me on it, or I'll get Bruce. You and mini-bat are going to have to resolve your problems."
Tim sighed. "Yeah. Come on Caleb. I need your help. Wake up, Son."
Caleb yawned and started to wake up. Huh? Daddy?
"Caleb, I need your help. You need to contact Godmother Raven."
Why?
"So, she can help locate a jewel that might turn me back."
Oh Caleb closed his eyes and reached for Mah Raven. It was easier to contact her now. She seemed so happy. Ma Raven.
Raven could sense her godson's thoughts. Yes godson. What is it you need*
Daddy, he needs your help
Raven opened a portal and walked through looking for Tim, but she didn't see him, at first.
"Raven, down here. It's me, Tim.
Raven looked down to see a four-year-old boy. "Tim? What happened to you?"
Continues with Part 26: A Bird's Eye View
A/N: There will be an earlier story in the future on how the rest of Tim's Teen Titan team meets his wife.