A/N: Tim is slowly recovering from being in Devlin's clutches a second time. With Samantha now part of the family, and Tim determined to marry her, Jason and Dick have taken it upon themselves to teach Tim how to please a woman without Bruce knowing about it. Something powerful happens and two brothers are in hot water with their father. Dick and Jason decide they had better keep out of Bruce's way for a while by taking a case that leads them out of Gotham. The case however has to be interrupted when word reaches them that Tim has a life threatening illness or is it? And has that case actually come to Gotham?

Additional A/N: I am going to attempt to answer a question set forth by a reader who wished to be nameless, with a question . . . Do you believe within our own world of the power of the mind, such as telepathy, telekinesis, clairvoyance, being able to communicate with spirits, etc., is real? First, read my profile. This story is part of the Earth 14 Universe that JasonToddLover and I have created through Role Play. Second, to answer that person's question, they do not have "powers" in the sense that you imply. They are NOT metas. They are human. Our original character Samantha, as we know right now, is a healer and has opened up pathways in the Bat Clan's minds to be able to communicate without the use of words. They are also able to access certain abilities through the use of their auras. Dick is able to take away Tim's nightmares. He's like a glorified dream catcher. Tim's aura is red and his aura will be explained further in this story. In our world, the belief that auras do exist is real. The aura around a person's body has actually been photographed with a special camera. An aura is the magnetic field that surrounds the body. Have you ever wondered why someone you meet "makes your skin crawl" or you hit it off so well with that person that it's scary? It is because the magnetic field that surrounds your body is either going to be compatible with someone, or conflicted with others. If you have had Reiki performed on you and have felt the results of that, then you know it is very real. As these stories progress, more will be explained, especially with regard to Samantha . . . More of her story will be told. She is more than what she seems. There are parts of the mind that some people are able to access and use that others cannot. Call it a gift if you will. These are more than just AU stories. They are EARTH 14 stories, so there are going to be differences, otherwise they are the same characters you recognize on Earth One or Earth Two. . . . So on with the next part.

New Life, Death, and Soul Easters

by

AJRedRobin and JasonToddLover

Part 3: Unholy Sickness

The dark ragged figure moved toward the house then floated up to the open window. He reached with a claw-like hand for the windowsill, forcing the window to open wider. He floated into the room and moved over to the sleeping figure that was in the throws of a nightmare. He drew closer. This being was more than what he seemed, much like the others, but if he did not act quickly, the being will discover his presence. Already he could sense the power growing within, a red fire that would destroy him if he allowed it. The being touched the figure's belly and tendrils of light appeared.

'I will feed only but a little on his energy. It will be enough to cause his blood to sicken. Like the others, no one will discover the truth, until it is too late.'

The being drained just enough to cause the figure to lose what weight he had recently gained. His cheeks took on a hollowed out look and his eyes underneath the lids took on a dullness instead of the sparkle they normally held. His skin tone took on a pale appearance, making him look wraith-like. It would not be long before the figure would begin to fade from existence, perhaps no more than a week. There were others that they could feast upon until then. The ragged figure floated out of the window, leaving Timothy Drake-Wayne on the bed as his fever grew.

SESESESESES

Jason placed his bag in the trunk. He climbed in the car and tossed the file onto the seat. He waited for Dick to appear. Once Dick had stowed his gear and Dick climbed into the front seat, Jason started the engine.

"Dick, take a look at that folder in the back seat. Might as well take a look at the info while we're heading to Chicago."

Dick grabbed the folder and studied the file. "Over ten children missing? Just up and disappeared?"

"That's what the file says. There's been a few in Gotham as well, but I thought we would go to the source."

"Smart thinking." Dick continued to read. 'Believe they'd been taken out of their homes. One kid the day before talked about a mysterious man in rags watching him.' Dick read how the kid described the man looking like a Dementor from Harry Potter?' Dick read the police officer's comments. They were dismissive and less than kind. Dick shook his head. 'Huh . . . This is weird.'

TBTBTBTB

Tim's sleep was restless. Something wasn't right. Something mysterious was causing children to disappear, but why would he dream about his children disappearing before they were even born?

"Dick . . . Jason . . .?" Tim called out to his brothers. Someone placed a hand on his forehead then placed a cool cloth.

"Hush . . . Dick and Jason are asleep. You should be, too."

"No . . ."

"How is he Master Bruce?"

"Feverish . . . I'm sure it's just exhaustion. He'd been pushing himself to get those exams completed. His body has barely had a chance to recover from all the blood loss he's had. Too much activity too soon."

"No . . . Dick . . . Jason . . ."

"It's all right Tim, Dick and Jason are fine."

"I'll give him a sleeping draft," Alfred stated. "That should help him, Master Bruce."

'I should not have allowed him and Samantha to go to Barbara Gordon's yesterday after fighting that she-devil,' Bruce thought. 'Tim wasn't recovered enough. I'll have to talk with Dick and Jason later this morning at breakfast.'

Alfred had gone down to the cave to the medical bay. He found the sleeping powders that he would mix into saline to create the sedatives he would give to his charges whenever they needed medical attention from coming back from patrol. He took one of the packets and went up to the kitchen and poured a glass of milk. He emptied the packet into the milk and stirred it until the powder had dissolved. He then brought the milk laced with the sleeping draft up to Master Timothy's room and handed it to Master Bruce.

"I've mixed it in some milk," Alfred explained.

Bruce helped Tim to sit up. He suddenly became alarmed when he felt Tim's backbone through his skin. He didn't want to draw attention to it, but coaxed Tim to drink. "Come on Tim, drink up."

"No," Tim refused. He tried to push the glass away. His stomach was not feeling all that great.

"It's for your own good." Bruce held Tim in place and brought the glass to Tim's lips.

Tim had no choice but to drink the milk. He quickly fell back to sleep. Bruce helped Tim to lie back down then covered him with a blanket.

'He should be eating more,' Bruce thought. 'It's odd how he suddenly lost the weight that he just put on.' Bruce tried to confide in the old butler. "I'm worried, Alfred. Something else may be going on with Tim's health that we don't know about. And why would Tim be in such a hurry to have a wife and children? Could there be a connection?"

"I do not know, Sir," Alfred replied. He, too, had noticed the sudden change in Tim's appearance but he didn't know how to bring it up. It was as if it happened over night.

"He's feverish this morning, too. Maybe we better have Leslie do some blood work on him. Have you seen Dick and Jason this morning?

"No, Master Bruce I have not."

"Jason came to me last night wanting to work on a case, but I don't know which one. I don't know what's going on with my sons Alfred," Bruce shook his head. "Tim and Dick are normally very good about sticking to values that they've been taught."

"It is disturbing, but no more than your own behavior with Ms. Talia," Alfred pointed out.

"That was different. She stole my DNA," Bruce argued. "I'm not going to wait. I'm taking Tim as is." Bruce wrapped Tim up in a blanket and carried him down stairs to the garage. He placed him in a car where he could buckle him in then got into the front seat. He opened the garage door and turned on the engine. He was down the driveway and out on the highway in minutes.

SBSBSBSBSB

Sasha brought Barbara Gordon a cup of steaming coffee. She sat the cup in front of her then took a sip of her own. Both were aware that Samantha had not gotten up for breakfast this morning. Barbara hadn't quite gotten over the habit of not being in her wheelchair. She just had her legs healed last night. They were still a little weak and Samantha had promised to work on her legs a little more this morning.

'I better start my physical therapy, again,' Barbara though. 'Oh man, my Dad, he's going to be so surprised.'

"Babs, did you notice Samantha last night?" Sasha asked. "She barely slept a wink."

"I did, she kept calling for Tim in her sleep and she was crying," Barbara stated. "Something's wrong."

"I'll take her back to the Manor. Maybe I'll find something out from Bruce."

'Again . . . I couldn't fall asleep. I had this strange feeling . . . About Tim . . . About the babies.' Samantha turned in her sleep restlessly. "Don't . . . leave . . . please don't leave," she mumbled.

Continues with Part 4