Chapter Three

It was early on Saturday morning when Tim woke up with a slight yawn. He stretched and licked his lips. He had on a pair of black boxer shorts and the morning breeze coming through the window covered his body in goosebumps.

"You're up at last."

Tim sat up and blinked. He rubbed his eyes and saw Bruce sitting on a chair at the back of his room, his hands clasped in front of him. Tim smiled.

"Yeah." He looked away and shuddered. He could remember flashes of last night and it wasn't pretty. But ever the optimist he looked on the bright side. It was Saturday! No school!

He pulled back the covers and swung his legs round. Just then Dick came in.

"Hey doesn't anyone knock? I'm going have to start charging." Tim complained.

"Well I see you're back to normal." Dick let out a laugh, but then Bruce and him shared a long, relieved look.

"I was thinking. Why don't you invite Barbara over and the four of us and Alfred, of course can hang around here."

Tim cringed and Dick stifled a laugh. Bruce saying something like 'hang' was just too funny. Sometimes he tried to act young and hip.

"Oh great, I have to spend my Saturday with you three." Tim rolled his eyes, but looked away smiling.

Bruce caught the smile and glanced at Dick who nodded briefly.

"Oh well, if you had plans. I was going to be visiting Gordon anyway." Bruce started to get up.

"Yeah and I did promise Barbara I would take her out shopping one day this week." Dick began turning round.

Tim's head snapped around. "No!" He exclaimed and when they both looked at him he dropped his head to the ground. "I mean, that is, I don't have any plans and I, well, I guess it would be ok to spend just the day with you guys here."

"Ok then." Bruce confirmed and they both walked out to leave the boy to get showered and dressed.

"Man, he is too easy." Dick grinned and Bruce patted him on the back.

"He is." He started to walk away. "And it used to work with you all the time too." He laughed to himself and left a very puzzled Dick standing, watching him leave the room.

An hour later everyone was ready and had eaten breakfast and Barbara was on her way to the mansion. Alfred began washing the dishes and Tim stretched across the couch and started to watch Saturday morning cartoons.

"We didn't stay in here for you to watch television all day."

"No, just the morning." Tim replied to Bruce simply. Bruce shook his head and walked over to the TV and switched it off. In the distance the doorbell went and Dick made to greet the guest. Tim sat up slowly.

"You can't do that. X-Men was coming on."

"I did and we are going to be doing something educational and active today because I've been . . ." Before he could say anymore Tim had slid off the couch, performed two kartwheels and knocked the man's legs from underneath him. Bruce fell on his behind apparently startled as a smug Tim stood over him.

"Well, that's my job done for today." Tim laughed, rubbed his hands together and turned around, heading for the TV. Before he could take another step Bruce grabbed his arms from behind and wrestled him until he had him in a headlock and gave him a massive noogie, one which Tim begged for mercy. After they parted, Tim waited a few seconds till Bruce had let his guard down and ran at him. However, the older man recovered quickly and caught Tim and lifted him up on his shoulder.

"Hey, no fair!" Tim called out, hitting the man's back. It felt like it was made of steel. Bruce carried the squirming youth over to the couch and dropped him down on it. Before Tim could blink Bruce had began tickling him all over his ribs and tummy.

"No! Stop! Please! You win, man!" Tim cried out, breathless from wriggling and pushing Bruce away. Bruce removed his hands and laughed loudly.

"You never learn, Timmy. I'm always going to win."

"It's true." They both spun their heads around to see Dick and Barbara standing in the doorway. Dick stepped forward.

"He is unbeatable."

Tim shook his head as Bruce smiled triumphantly.

"No way. I'll take him down some day."

"Yeah, when you're not built like a stick and grow another foot." Dick smirked and Barbara dropped her head giggling. Tim scowled.

"I'm not built like a stick. I have muscle. And my growth spurt is just late, ok?" Tim walked away and they could hear in the distance Tim telling Alfred to make him one of those protein shakes that footballers drink to gain weight and build them up.

The three laughed for a couple of minutes until Barbara sat down on the couch.

"I'm glad he is ok now." Her lips straightened. "When Dick phoned, I lay awake all night worrying about the kid."

"We all did. But look at him, he is the same as normal and even laughing." Bruce shook his head. "The way a kid's mind works, huh?"

Dick smiled. "Yeah. It is amazing."

After lunch the family went out to the pool to lounge around in the sunshine. The heat enveloped them all.

"Watch this!" Tim yelled and ran towards the pool, jumping up into the air and somersaulting forwards into the cool, blue water. He surfaced and took in air.

"How cool was that?" He asked them and Bruce shook his head. "Not cool, you could have hit your head off the side of the pool."

Tim laughed loudly. "Whatever, old man!"

Bruce raised an eyebrow and went to stand up.

"Leave this one for me." Dick stood up and tightened the cord around his dark blue swimming shorts in case Tim pulled them down like last time.

"Come on out Tim and we'll do the somersault thing together."

"Really? Cool." Tim swam to the side and pulled himself out. Dick turned to Bruce and Barbara who were lying on sun beds.

"So trusting." He mouthed.

Tim walked up to him and said, "Are you ready?"

Dick nodded and grabbed Tim's arm. Tim realised what was about to happen and tried to pull away, but Dick had him in an iron grip. Then he bent down and grabbed Tim round his kicking legs and round his back and marched to the pool.

"You betrayer!" Tim yelled as Dick threw him into the pool. Dick laughed and doubled over, not noticing Bruce creeping behind him. The man grabbed Dick the same way and chucked him into the pool too.

"Once again, I win!" Bruce put his hands on his hips as Dick dunked Tim for laughing at him. But nobody noticed when Barbara walked up behind Bruce and pushed him with all her might into the waters below. Bruce came up, a little red in the face as the woman posed and walked off, laughing to herself. All three, reached for the side off the pool and said, "Women."