VII.- No more yielding but a dream

Robin, the third Robin, Timothy Jeff Drake, whatever said the boy walking besides him, stopped suddenly, knowing they were near the heart, but not really sure it was wise to advance. Not yet. He didn't have all the information. He was not to rush only because he was scared.

"There's something wrong, Rob?" Asked the other Tim.

"You tell me."

"Well, of course this is creepy and weird. I mean, meeting you that are me and not me, knowing things I should not know... But stopping is not going to make me know what is going on. Neither is going to make you, even if you think you are so damn smart."

"I don't think I am."

"Yes, you do, and I know because I do."

He grunted.

"Whatever."

"Then, are we going?"

"No."

"Because..."

"Because I'm waiting for the others."

"What for? You don't think they are real."

"Anyway, we are toghether in this."

"Touching." Tim rolled his eyes. It was weird seeing oneself patronizing you.

But he sat on the floor, legs crossed, letting him know he was going to be patient.

Great.

Robin leaned to a tree, arms crossed, searching through the mist. The scent was more powerful here. The smell was clearer now. It was not only a fireplace. It was mixed with other known fragences.

"Look, they are coming." Said Tim before he could put a name to the scent.

He turned, not really surprised to see two Jason Toods, one not costumed. Dick and his namesake came from the left. The only way of telling them apart was the mask. Non-Robin Dick need not a mask.

So, they all had better, happier version.

How nice.

"Tim!" Dick ran to him as soon as he saw him.

Jason also came to him, not so hurriedly, but worried nontheless.

Robin eyed the other Tim, making sure he understood it was going to be a private talk. He just shrugged, standing up and backing off to were the other doppelganger awaited. He was surprised to see how this Tim greeted them and began talking, as if he knew what was going on, as if he knew the place. Was he like that? Always sure and confident even if push came to shove?

He realized he had two young faces looking at him, anxious of an answer, and he tried to recollect himself.

"We are near it." Explained Tim, being this the only thing we was sure of.

"The heart." Said Jason. "This... whatever... talked about it nonstop."

"Yes, Dick also mentioned it."

"Don't call him Dick. It's creepy!"

"But it's his name, Jason. What I'm supossed to call him?"

"I don't know, but sure as hell not Dick."

"Then what? Richard? He would hate it. I hate it!"

"But he is not you!"

"Boys, please!" Tim snapped his fingers in front of the younger Robins. "Focus!"

"Hey! Don't do that again." Retorted Jason, angrily.

"Then focus so I won't have to be obnoxious again."

"Focus? I can't focus with that guy over there claiming a life I'll never have!"

Tim sighed.

"Yeah, I know, they are showing us the lifes we let slip away. And?"

"Don't tell me you don't care, Tim."

"Of course I care. And it hurts my every movement to think I could be him instead of being me. But it makes no diference. Not really."

"Because it's not real?" Asked Dick hopefully.

"It will make no diference either. If it's real or a fake..."

Jason grunted, crossing his arms, but Tim knew he was well aware of it himself. It made no difference because they had already chosen. They were who they were. There was no back off. And there were only wishes, choices they never made. And a sense of a happyness and a normality they had just pushed far from them by chosing a path that was not easy but was what make them stand up again every time they fell.

"So, the only choice we have is to let them take us to this heart thing... whatever it is."

"No, the only choice we have is to go there by ourselves. They are not coming."

"Oh, you tell the alternate Jason."

Tim looked at the point were their other selves were also discussing. His eyes met Tim's and saw there they were discussing the same issue.

"I don't think they are going to care. It's not their quest. Neither of them are Robin."

Dick nodded in agreement.

"Besides, neither of them is trained. We cannot put civils in danger."

"Civils? They are not civils!"

"Of course they are, and we are unfocussing again, right, Tim?"

He smiled to him.

"Right."

"So what the hell is this?" Asked Jason, looking at the other group. "Them. It's like...Look, Robinboys, your life will be better without a cape."

"Or at least it will be different." Agreed Dick.

"And longer." Added Jason with a flat tone.

"Normal." Murmured Tim.

He sighed, closing his eyes.

They had to leave those thoughts behind.

"Are you going to talk to them or something?" Jason brought him to reality.

He wanted to ask: "why me?" But he didn't want to make it last any longer. Still, he was not looking forward facing Tim again.

"Wait here. It won't be long."

And it wasn't.

Tim came to him as soon as he saw him aproaching, smiling sadly.

"We don't go any further." He said.

"I know."

"And you are happy it is so."

"No, I'm not happy, I'm just relieved."

"Of course, you are not happy. It's been a long time since you last were."

Something inside him yielded to punch this conceited, all-knowing, happier and perfect version of himself. But it would change nothing. He would still be right.

So he just shook the hand Tim was offering him.

"Be careful, Robin." Said Tim. "The three of you. The heart won't be a nice place."

"It never is."

He turned to leave, but Tim restrained him.

"Just one more thing. Do you still belive you are dreaming?"

"Why? You are not sure either, are you? You wish you are the one dreaming, don't you? Maybe I wish that too. I would be nice to know I am the nightmare."

Tim let him go and turned, walking towards Dick and Jason. Robin watched him as he took them and guided them through the mist, disappearing. The knot in his entrails was now the size of a baseball ball.

A hand in his shoulder made him turn, startled.

"Are you ok, Tim?"

Jason seemed worried while he looked in the general direction where the futures they never got had vanished.

"Yes, I think."

"Great, because you have to see this."

"See what?"

And as he followed his pointing finger he cursed so strongly that even Jason blushed.

There, where just mere seconds before had been nothing, there was a door.

Not a house, not a wall... just a door. A big, thick, wooden, double, ancient and expensive looking door. Imposible as it might be, yellowish light escaped from the gap underneath it. It felt warm, and the scent was just so strong now... It felt comfortable, homly...

Tim knew the scent finally.

Dick and Jason put themselves behind him, because they also knew.

"Ready?"

And before they could answer, he opened the door.

------

---Security code aproved---

---...---

---Voice scan aproved---

---Wellcome, Master---

---/Status of subject /report.---

---Subject constants: rising dangerous levels---

---cerebral functions: altered---

---checking revealed:---

---cardiac rythm: dangerous---

---adrenaline levels: dangerous---

---subject state: dangerous---

---warning---

---abort or loose---

---:ignore---

---/continue---