A/N) I'm TIRED AND Verging ON SICK.

This was written waaaay too late, and I only wrote it because something else I was working on froze in my brain like the north pole when I remembered I still have yet to give that epilogue I promised. Inspiration is dry and my muse is killing me with abandonment.

I don't know how this turned out. It's short. Sappy - I hope it's decent.

This is probably going to be an AU I might expand on later, whenever I get my poor muse back.

We'll see.

Motivation is your Superpower

Gotham's unusually quite at the moment.

Maybe that's why Jason decided to go against his own common sense and swing down from his favorite gargoyle to look for a certain Red that wasn't himself.

Jason's eyes scan the surrounding area. Then they find just the bare hint of a shadowed lump in a corner. There he is. Jason almost snorts in amusement.

The kid thinks he's hiding so well.

Or maybe he wants Jason to find him. Either way -

Jason decides to climb over and just - just check how things are going. Nothing personal or whatever, just to see. . . I mean Tim has been really busy lately and Jason was busy too and neither had really, really talked since -

Since he turned back into a full fledged, moody teenager again.

He was tiny for a year and three months, they had started to believe the brat was going to stay rug rat sized for ever . . . then he'd gone into the kids room to get him up for breakfast, debating on whether they should send him to preschool or not, when he pulls back the covers he finds a large, compared to before, pale young man with just as much hair over his face if not more. And he was no longer baby snoring . . .

Jason remembers - or maybe he doesn't, not really . . . he's still not sure what he felt when he found Tim normal.

The others had been ecstatic, if little disappointed, even Damian seemed like he'd have liked Tim to stay small. But Jason? Jason felt like someone grabbed his heart and ripped it out without ceremony, and then he'd felt horribly guilty because - because Tim deserves to continue his life. Jason knows that - but he just wanted a tiny human who loved him unconditionally for just a tad longer.

That had been three months ago.

Jason lands on the ledge. Tim doesn't move, or even make any sign that he's noticed Jason. The elder boy resists the urge to sigh and pushes the image of smiling laughing baby Tim running towards him whenever he was within eye sight.

"Hey Kid." He sounds awkward. He's being awkward. Stop it - stop it . . . you'll make this awkward.

Tim shifts and nods curtly at him, eyes glued to a van below. "Hey."

No cute baby garble or funny hums. "So - what you working on?" Stop, just stop - why the hell does he have to make this so weird? Dammit Tim!

Tim shrugs. "Surveillance for now. The drug dealers down below haven't shown their real operation yet, in due time though."

Jason slides down next to the teen and lets his heavy booted legs dangle over the edge. "Yah? Sound like Batman's pulled you out of the action." He doesn't know what else to say. One: That was probably true, and Two: Just go back to being tiny and non melodramatic again Timbo!

Tim shrugs again. "I guess. He's still worried after - " He stops.

Jason feels the kid prickle and practically sees everything stiffen. This was it - this was the conversation opener . . . Jason hasn't talked about this with Tim - he never knows how to start, and Tim seemed so ready to avoid the topic every chance he got. Like he was too mortified by it to mention it with words . . . which - even though he'd never admit it out loud ever- it kind of hurt Jason's feelings.

"Yah. He does." Jason tries his hardest to keep his voice level and not weird. "You were just - so small and defenseless for so long we all kind of just got used to protecting you and stuff." There, that should get something out of the little stoic.

"I'm not - that anymore." Tim answers after a beat. Gotham breeze picks up and it ruffles the youngers side swept bird hair.

"We know - I know . . . but - can't really blame us. You didn't give any sign of going back to normal - " Where was this supposed to go anyway?

Shit . . . he has no idea.

This could end one of two ways. Bad - or really bad.

"You - you remember anything?" Jason mentally shoots himself. Ok, really bad it is.

The air is so quiet, Jason can't believe Gotham has the audacity to shut up now of all times. Not even a rat scrounging in a trash bin!

"Some - most of it." Tim finally - finally - answers, he still doesn't look at Jason.

"L-like what?" Jason's not sure why he's scared to find out what Tim remembers. What if he remembers all those times Steph played dress up with him, or when Damian gave him a kitten, or when Dick took him to the petting zoo - or even when Bruce read him bedtime stories . . . what if - what if he doesn't remember . . . all the times Jason spent with him. That would be just his luck too.

"I remember you mostly."

The air rushes out of Jason like someone sucked it right out of his lungs. The relief was stunning and real . . .why the hell was he so paranoid and negative? Oh yah - he died once.

"Yah?" He asks, braving to take off his helmet.

Tim finally meets his eyes, they look tired even behind his domino. Jason longs for the big puppy blues that smile at him more than his little mouth did. "I remember you - you were real nice to me Jason, I think - I think you were my favorite." He colors a bit and Jason almost laughs, though for what he has no clue. "I liked you're hugs the best - um, you were really . . . just really nice."

Than Jason knows.

"You remember everything, don't you."

Tim hunches a bit and peels off his mask in the shadows, playing with it in his gloved fingers. "I remember how much you guys loved me. I remember how good it felt - to just know that no matter what . . you would. Especially you." He sighs a sigh so big Jason feels like it came out of his own lungs.

"Hey, c'mon Kid - " Dammit. Jason was never one for emotional support. But - but a year and a half of bonding with baby Timmy doesn't just go away. Jason had loved that kid - older Tim should be no different. Screw everything. "We still do Timbo." He stops being awkward and throws a heavy arm around the teens shoulders, tugging him around his neck roughly. "And we won't stop just because you're back to your moody, mostly ass like, self again."

Tim snorts, but he straightens more, like whatever Jason just said was what he needed to hear. "I love you too Jason."

Jason would be lying if he says that doesn't make him feel sappy. He'd be the biggest liar on earth if he says that knowing Tim still adored him wasn't what he was hoping for. He'd be worse than a politician if he said he doesn't care about any of this crap anymore.

"Yah . . . I know. You whined enough for me to know."

Tim snickers lightly. "I was horrible wasn't I? I can't believe I might have been like that the first time around. It was nice though, everyone waiting on me and making sure I didn't stay upset, finding out what was wrong and doing everything they could to make it go away."

And that's when Jason gets another half of the story inside Timbo's head. "No worries kid, I promise, whenever you try to hide your disgruntlement with your lame ass attempts to adult, I'll be sure to make sure you don't keep it up."

"Hah, I bet you would too." Tim's head tilts back against Jason's shoulder and shoves him lightly with an elbow. "Thanks Jay."

"Whatever Brat. Get going. I'll take over the shift."

"Hey, I appreciate the offer but I am not two anymore so - "

"Screw that, I know for a fact, courtesy of Al, that you haven't been sleeping again. Get your ass home and in bed, and if Bruce has a problem with you getting those Z's tell 'im to talk to me." Jason snaps, maybe he just wants to feel a bit more of this stupid fuzziness that's making him all pathetic and mushy for a little while longer.

Tim's shoulders raise as he shakes his head. "Yah, don't worry, for once - you and him are on the same page."

"So, get going." Jason waits, arms crossed until Tim realizes that he's not joking and rolls his eyes, slaps his domino back on, sticks out his tongue at Jason and jumps off to swing down to his bike.

Jason smiles at nothing after the kid's taillight disappears down a turn.

Well - nobody can say he's not an excellent big brother now. Hm - big brother? Jason won't ever admit it out loud but - he kind of likes the sound of that.

After all, Tim was still Tim. And that kid needs all the help he can get if he's going to survive the rest of his life. Just so happens Jason may have a little extra time on his hands to give him that much needed help.

Jason's smile stretches into a grin as he basks in the nice afterthought - he doesn't have many of those anymore - of being important, even if Tim wasn't Tiny anymore.

I hope this didn't suck too bad.

I need to go lie down. Neck cramps suck.

Also, has anyone ever watched this anime called Psycho-pass? It's pretty cool, intense cyber criminal sort of anime. it's one of the few anime's involving detective drama like that, that actually kept me watching. Be warned though - if you do check it out . . . it can get pretty gory and gruesome.

Main guy is a total badass though!

Thanks for your support and enjoyment of this fic! I hope to see you again on another one soon . . . if my muse ever comes back from her vacation *sigh*