"All is well now, Pay no mind. All is well now, I'm just fine, I'm just fine." -All is Well (It's Only Blood)
Bruce stood silent, fists clenched at his sides, somewhere between wanting to cry and wanting to scream. Tim was gone. His brilliant son, who knew tragedy as much as one knew an old friend, yet still persevered, still found a way to smile for Dick and take orders from Batman.
But he wasn't in uniform. He wasn't Batman, and Tim wasn't Red Robin. He was being a son, not a partner. A brother, not an enemy.
He was being a great brother, actually. Which is why it was so unfortunate that Bruce was being a terrible father. He cursed inwardly; funny how it was so clear after the damage was done.
We he stopped his daydreaming, Bruce looked up to find Dick glaring at him, phone in hand. He never too his eyes off of Bruce when he talked.
"Tim, thanks for picking up. Listen, come back to the outer gate and we'll go together. This should be a brother thing." Dick sighed after listening to a reply. "No, Damian will stay here. But I am going to call Kori and Roy. That okay? Great. See you soon."
And, with that, Dick was gone too.
()()()()()
Dick waited until he saw Tim was okay before he called Roy's cell. He still wasn't sold on stopping Jason, but Lazarus Pits were dangerous, and if Tim was right Jason might be doing more harm than good.
Roy didn't answer his phone, so Dick left a message detailing the morning's events while Tim drove quietly, eyes red.
Dick hung up and huffed a sigh. "I'm sorry, Tim."
"He'll never say it."
"Maybe he will, we don't know."
"Ever the optimist, Richard."
"Ever the pessimist, Timothy." Dick smiled and squeezed Tim's shoulder in support.
"Realist," Tim bit back, but his voice was lighter.
"Pessimist."
"Realist."
"Pessimist."
Tim snorted. "I'll turn this car around."
"You love having me along!" Dick yelled dramatically.
"That's debatable right now," Tim laughed as they left Gotham City limits. He heard the buzzing of a helicopter and looked out the window to see a low-flying black chopper.
He had no idea that it was Talia, leaving with Jason and her crew.
"Hey," Dick said after a comfortable silence. "Alfred just texted me. Said the private plane is fuelled and ready to go anywhere the Wayne heirs want to go."
Tim smiled. "Where would we be without him?"
"Dead or crazy," Dick joked.
Tim sobered, kept his eyes on the road. "Or both," he said, and he turned towards the small airport Bruce's jet was stationed.
Dick just sighed and stared out the window.
()()()()()()()
Roy got the message mere minutes after it was sent, but he didn't bother responding. Couldn't respond, really.
"Hey, Roy. And Kori. Um. . . There's this situation. It's being taken care of! Anyway, after you left, Jason slipped out. We're pretty sure we know where he's going, and we're en route, but Tim and I thought you should know. Don't freak out."
Roy stopped stirring his mac'n'cheese. Don't freak out, it said. Don't freak out? How would it be possible to not freak out? And why was Dick so calm? And why was Batman not "en route?"
"Roy," Kori said as she moved behind him, warm fingers resting on his arms. "Why are you frozen in place with your phone to your ear?"
Roy blanched. "Don't freak out," he said.