How Tim became Robin. Jason is 15. Dick is 19. Tim is 9.

Chapter 47: Batman Has To Have A Robin

Tim's POV

I snuggled against Jason as we watched a movie together. Daddy was still at work and Dick had gone on a date with Kori.

The Fox and the Hound was interrupted by Vicki Vale announcing that the Joker had escaped from Arkham. Jason literally shot off the couch and headed towards the cave at the mention of the criminal's name.

"Jay, wait!" I called, running after him.

When I reached the cave, he was already putting his Robin costume on.

"What are you doing?" I asked, already knowing his answer.

"I'm going after the Joker, Babybird."

"But, Daddy says you're not supposed to go out alone. And he doesn't want you near the Joker."

"Look, I'm fifteen. I'm old enough to go out by myself. I'm trained for this. I can handle the Joker. I'll be fine."

I grabbed his hand as he reached for his mask. "Don't go. Please. Stay home with me."

"Sorry Tim. But, Bruce and Dick aren't here. It's up to me."

Well, since no one was home, I guess it'd be okay, but I had a bad feeling. "Be careful, Jay." I pleaded.

"I will. I'll be back later. Cover for me if Alfred asks."

I can't.

********Break*******

Jason's POV

Blood. Pain. Dying. Dying alone, just like Mom. But, I'm not afraid. Just regretful. I didn't get to say goodbye or that I'm sorry.

I looked up through my broken mask and swollen eyes, as blood flowed freely from my open mouth. That blood red smile, white skin, and cold eyes looked back at me. The shrill laughter filled every nook and cranny of the warehouse. The clown's hand tightens on the steel weapon painted with my blood before he swings the crowbar into my side once more. I don't even cry out anymore. I don't have the strength to hold on. I'm ready to die.

Smiling, the clown places a bomb in front of me.

********Break*******

Bruce's POV

Hold on Bluejay. I'm coming. Oh God, don't take him from me! Please.

********Break*******

Jason's POV

Ten seconds….

Nine seconds…..

Eight seconds…..

Seven seconds…...

Six seconds…

Fiv-

"Jason!"

Daddy?

********Break*******

Tim's POV

Alfred and Leslie rush right past me as I slowly enter the cave. I can see Daddy crying.

Instantly, fear consumes me. Why is Daddy crying? He never cries. Where's Jay? Hurrying over to them, I find Dick soon blocking my path. I can tell he's been crying as he lifts me into his arms and carries me to my room.

"Where's Jay?" I ask, timidly.

No reply.

"Dick, where's Jason?" I ask as a tear rolls down my face as he sets me on my bed.

I receive no answer as he pulls a pair of my pajamas out and swipes at his eyes.

"Dickie, why are you crying? Where's Jay?"

Dropping my pajamas beside me, he takes a seat on the bed and pulls me into his lap. I can feel his tears dripping down my neck as I am pressed tightly against him.

"Jason… he's… he's downstairs. Tthey, they ddont tthink he's gonna mmmake it."

********Break*******

Jason's POV

Daddy? Opening my eyes, I can see Bruce sitting beside my hospital bed gingerly holding my hand. He's asleep. What happened?

My memory quickly returns, when I notice needles and tubes and casts and… why is an alarm going off?

"Jason, calm down. It's okay. Relax. Shh. I'm here, son."

********Break*******

Bruce's POV

My fault. My responsibility. My partner. My soldier. My son.

My baby is hurt because of me. I never even wanted him to become Robin.

I silently approach the figure of the monster that broke my baby. He's waiting for me. Laughing. He thinks he's won his sick and twisted game. He wants me to kill him. He thinks Robin is dead. And he is right. Robin is dead, but Jason is still alive.

Moving closer, I prepare to send the clown to the infirmary. Six months for Jason. Six months for the clown.

No more partners. No more Robins. Never again.

********Break*******

Tim's POV

One week later, I was finally allowed to see my brother. I cried as soon as I saw him. He didn't even look like Jason. The bruises. The broken bones. The dried blood. The fresh blood. The body cast. The scars. The tubes. The needles.

I wasn't allowed to climb into the bed with him. Dick said that he was too broken and I might accidentally hurt him. We couldn't even talk to each other, because of the oxygen mask strapped to his face and the tube shoved down his throat.

I couldn't do anything, but allow my fingers to intertwine with his as we held hands. And cry. And pray.

********Break*******

Bruce's POV

I silently appeared behind the commissioner, causing him to jump. He flicked the Bat signal off before facing me.

"You almost killed the Joker-"

"Your point?" I coldly interrupted him.

"I've given you free reign of this city. And you have done so much for us. But, I cannot condone killing… I'm sorry about Robin. He was your child. Wasn't he?"

"He was." I replied darkly.

********Break*******

Tim's POV

I climbed into the hospital bed with Jason and watched his heavily wrapped chest rise and fall. I just want things to go back to normal.

Bruce had to tell the press that Jason had been involved in a car accident. Then the bullies at school found out. They figured that Jason wasn't going to come back. They had become a lot meaner to me-

"Babybird?" Jason croaked out slowly as his eyes opened.

I was glad that he could talk again. Leslie said he was making progress.

"Hi." I replied softly.

"I… want… you… to… promise… me… something." He wheezes gasping for breath in-between words.

"What?" I ask, lightly taking his hand.

"Go upstairs… under… my bed… near… near the back… a box… bring it… to me… I want you… to have it."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

Running up the stairs, I don't stop until I reach his room. Crawling under his extremely dusty and filthy bed, I reach for the box. I sneeze as I come into contact with the dust. I'm allergic to it.

Retrieving the box, I run back to where Jason is. I pause when I notice Dick sitting beside him, holding his hand.

"Are you sure?" Dick asks.

"We don't … have… another… choice. You won't… do it. I can't." Jason wheezes.

"But he's so little. Jay, he could pass for six. And you know what Bruce said-"

Jason's voice suddenly rose in anger, "I don't give a damn… He's going to get… himself killed… Batman has to have… a Robin."

"But you're-"

"Not anymore. Dad is… gonna die… if we… don't do… something…. He's being… reckless… he's getting hurt… he's getting closer… to that line."

"Bruce is not going to cross that line. And Timmy-"

"He can do this." Jason responded proudly.

"I don't want to see anyone else hurt. You're both my little brothers and I… I-"

"He's gonna… be fine, Dickie. None of us… can be Robin… forever. He'll need… your… help. You have… to… convince Dad. "

Stepping forward, I quickly approach them. Dick looks over at me and back at Jason before ruffling my hair on his way out.

Placing the box beside him and lifting the lid, I find his new costume that Dick gave him for his birthday. Allowing my fingers to lift the mask from the box, I look down at my broken brother.

"I'll make you proud, Jay. I'll be the best Robin for you."

"I know."

********Break********

Bruce's POV

Walking into the cave, my eyes focus on Tim. He's wearing Jason's new costume; the costume that he'll never wear.

"Timothy, take that off now." I growl.

"No." he responds.

"What did you just say to me?" I demand, approaching his small form.

"No, Daddy. You have to have a Robin."

"Timothy, I am not going to argue with you. Take that off now. I am not going to have another Robin." I growl.

"Dad!"

I turn towards the medical section of the cave where I can hear Jason yelling for me.

"Don't yell. You know what Leslie and Alfred have told you about-"

"No! You need him! You have to have a Robin!" Jason shouts, interrupting me.

"Not anymore."

********Break********

Tim's POV

Entering the cave, I can see Nightwing blocking Batman's path to the Batmobile.

"Take. That. Off." Batman demands.

"No. I'm going with you."

"Richard John-"

"I'm not a kid anymore! Don't treat me like I'm one! I'm nineteen! You don't own me anymore!"

"Get out of my way." Batman growls, clenching his fists.

Nightwing shakes his head and crosses his arms. "You spanked Timmy for no reason last night. You punished him for trying to help you. Then you came home with a shotgun shell in your chest last night because you were ashamed of what you had done. You're becoming careless and reckless. You are getting closer to that line. And I am not going to allow you to cross it. I am not going to watch my father die again. I refuse to lose anyone else I care about."

"You should have never even put that costume on in the first place."

"It's a little too late for that now… You need him. You need Robin."

"I don't need anyone." Batman replied, stubbornly.

"And that's where you're wrong. We need you as much as you need us."

********Break********

Bruce's POV

"I told you to stay home, Nightwing." I growled as I heard him approach me from behind.

"Well, I couldn't let Robin drive here alone. He's underage. And I told you no. You're not allowed to die… Now, what's going on?"

I turned to see Nightwing with Tim dressed in Jason's new costume that he'll never get to wear.

"Take him home now!" I roared stomping towards him.

"No." Nightwing replied, meeting me halfway.

We stood glaring at each other.

"Two-Face!" Tim shouted pointing to the apartment across from the roof we were on.

"Is he in that apartment?" Nightwing asked Tim, gesturing to the building across from the roof we resided on.

"Yeah, I just saw him." Tim replied.

"Okay, let's go." Nightwing replied, leaping from the building.

I pulled Tim by his cape and dragged him back over to the middle of the roof.

"You are not to move from this spot." I commanded.

"But-"

"Do. Not. Move. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." He replied somberly as I leapt from the building.

Climbing in through the window after Nightwing, I heard a click… A click? Bomb!

"Nightwing! Get down!" I ordered, before trapping him underneath me.

********Break********

Tim's POV

"No!" I screamed as the apartment exploded. Oh my God! Daddy! Dick!

I peered over the ledge. I could see Batman and Nightwing lying still in the rubble and ash as dust and flames settled around us. I heard the sound of coin being flipped accompanied by a dark laugh.

"Well, well. Two birdies for the price of one... Heads you live. Tails you die." The husky voice belonging to Two-Face said, tossing his coin into the air.

"Wait! We just can't kill them!" Harvey Dent yells.

"Shut up! The coin has decided their fate! Tails." Two-Face replied, drawing his pistol.

"No! Get away from them!" I screamed, before dropping down on top of him. The villain seized me by my collar and lifted me into the air. I gazed at the man in fear ass he held me directly in front of his face. One side was normal and handsome, the other was black with burnt skin and sores and puss. I could see his teeth from where the flesh had literally melted from his face. It made me want to hurl.

"And just what do we have here? I thought that clown killed you… did you get shorter?"

"Put me down!" I screamed.

He laughed. "Well, well, this is a new bird... Are you Batman's baby? Or are there more of you?"

"Let him go, Harvey! Now!" Batman ordered.

We turned to find Batman and Nightwing standing behind us, ready to fight. Both were bleeding and had really nasty burn marks.

"That's not for you to decide! Heads he lives! Tails he dies!" Two- Face shouted, while tightening his grip on me.

"He's just a kid! Leave him alone!" Dick pleaded as the coin landed in his palm... Heads.

The villain threw me at my Dad with one hand while shooting Nightwing in the chest with his pistol. I'm not sure who screamed louder me or Batman. Anger consumed me as I threw myself against the criminal. I am not going to watch another one of my brothers spend their life living on a hospital bed. I screamed in anger as Batman pulled me off of Two-Face, who had just recently been knocked out.

********Break********

Tim's POV

I waited patiently in the study for Alfred to finish bandaging Daddy and Dick. I knew I was in trouble. The only time we're allowed in here is when we're in trouble. I gulped as he entered and took a seat across from me. I was getting the Batman glare.

"Timothy, you disobeyed me. I am very disappointed in you. You deliberately put yourself in danger, when I told you not to-"

"I'm sorry Daddy. I just wanted to help." I whispered.

"Do not interrupt me." he warned before continuing as I dropped my gaze to the floor and hung my head in shame. "But, I'm proud of you. You saved us back there... But, if you ever disobey an order from me again, you will never leave the cave dressed as Robin again."

I glanced up at him. Huh? "Wait… you're gonna let me be Robin?" I whispered.

"After you finish training."

********Break*******

Dick's POV

Six months later, things were practically back to normal… Well, almost normal. Tim was Robin and Jay could walk again.

I leaned against the back of the couch and flipped through TV channels as Jason slept with his head in my lap. I froze when I landed on the news. Vicki Vale was reporting that the Joker had escaped from the hospital that he had been incarcerated in for the past six months.

I glanced down at Jason. The Joker had almost killed him. Jason almost died. He'll have to repeat his freshman year of school. He was almost paralyzed. He had to give up Robin. The clown hurt Bruce. He tried to destroy my family. I am not going to let him hurt anyone else.

********Break*******

"I can hear the beautiful sound just like it was yesterday." He joyfully replies before the weapon impacts my stomach.

"The loud and clear sound of bones breaking. Can you still smell it on my crowbar?" the clown gleefully asks before landing another blow.

"The smell of his blood splattering against the metal." He says as I gasp for breath.

The monster slowly drops down to my level and begins to whisper into my ear, "Good thing you grew up and didn't wear those ridiculous green shorts that day… I chose the wrong little birdie that day. I should have gone for you. The first Robin. The favorite. The firstborn… or does Daddy prefer the new little brat running around?"

Something inside me breaks when I hear the monster mention Timmy and having to hear him talk about Jay as my hand encases the damn crowbar. A look of pure shock comes across his face, completely destroying his smirk, as I whip the weapon across his chest.

He almost killed my little brother. I brought the weapon against his thigh, cracking it. He threatened to kill Timmy. I brought the weapon against his knee, shattering it completely. He hurt my father. He cried out in pain as I brought the crowbar across his chest, breaking ribs. I stopped as he started laughing as blood poured from his agape mouth; staining his white face red.

"I did chose the wrong bird." He laughs as blood flows from his mouth. "You've come a long way from being an orphaned circus Gypsy."

I freeze. I clearly didn't expect that. "I. Don't. Know. What. You. Are. Talking. About." I growl, recovering from his statement before landing another blow.

"Your face betrays you… Tell me something, do you miss the dead birdie? Hmm?"

I don't answer, but I bring the crowbar down again.

"That little punk is still alive. Isn't he?"

I freeze for a moment. I can't let him know that Jay's still alive. I bring the weapon down once more.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! He is alive, but not for long. I'll finish what I started, then I'll have a turn with the new little birdie, and after that I'll come for you." He mocks, before I crush his windpipe.

Bending down to where he lay gasping for breath, I whisper my final thought of the day, "Listen very carefully, I want to make myself very clear… If you ever touch my family again, I will not hesitate to kill you." I growl before bringing the crowbar across his head.

Dropping the weapon and a tracker for Gordon beside his crumpled body, I simply walk away, for I know that he'll be in the hospital another six months.