A/N: After weeks of interruptions, illnesses, and other crises, plus having to handle a succubus determined to take Tim's life force, the Bat Family finally gets a vacation, to the Bahamas, but is it the trip of their dreams? Warning some chapters contain explicit mature themes!
Serpent in Paradise
Part 6
It was getting toward midday. They hadn't eaten since . . . Bruce couldn't remember exactly when since they had been busy with Tim. Bruce decided to knock on Dick's door as well as check on Tim and to see if Jason and Sasha wanted to join him in the resort's dining room.
'Oh man . . . the showers here are great.' Dick knew he shouldn't have gotten in with his bad leg but he sure did need it. He just got out when he heard a knock on the door. "Yes?"
"I'm heading to the dining room, care to join me?" asked Bruce.
"Sure, I was getting hungry anyway," replied Dick.
"Is Damian was with you?"
"He went to explore a bit. He also might be with Tim."
"We'll check on Damian later. He'll sometimes find a quiet place to sketch. If he's hungry he might have already found the dining room. I'll go knock on Jason's door if you check on Tim."
"Okay." They headed out of Dick's room. Dick went to Tim's room and noticed the door was open slightly. Peeking in, he saw Tim and Damian lying on the bed sleeping. Tim was curled around Damian, almost like a protective covering.
Bruce knocked on Jason's door.
"Who is it?" Jason called out.
"Jason, it's me," Bruce said. "Dick and I are heading to the dining hall. Would you and Sasha care to join us?"
Jason glanced over at Sasha. "Are you hungry?"
"Yeah. Let me get dressed."
"We're coming!" Jason yelled back to his dad while he got dressed.
Bruce waited outside when he noticed Dick coming out of Tim's room and waving at him. "What is it?"
"Look inside," Dick stated. He wanted Bruce to see for himself.
Bruce moved over to Tim's room and peeked inside. "Well I'll be. Tim looks like he's trying to protect Damian."
"Yes," Dick agreed. "I wonder what brought this on."
"A nightmare perhaps? Maybe Damian was the only one in earshot. Maybe having Tim sleep alone wasn't such a good idea. We won't be able to hear him when he has a really bad one."
"Maybe Damian might sleep in here. Tim seems to be calm even though he's not with me."
"I think it's best that we don't wake them. We can bring some food to the room for both of them. Tim should be eating anyway to help regain his strength."
"Yes, maybe he'll eat more now that he's here."
As Jason and Sasha came out of the room hearing the conversation between Bruce and Dick she added, "I understand he's underweight?"
"Yes. He's gained back some, but not enough," Bruce explained. "He's still about 25lbs underweight."
"Maybe we should take turns staying with him," Sasha suggested as she peeked in and saw Tim and Damian asleep.
Bruce pulled out a few more key cards. "These are to Tim's room. We can discuss it in more detail over a meal. Let's go."
Everyone followed Bruce down to the dining hall. The place was just as incredible as the rooms. It faced the ocean and was open to the air. Small birds kept flying in and around the tables. Bruce observed what they were. They were humming birds trying to get at the nectar of the flowers arrangements on the large tables. A large buffet was set up at the end of the room. Bruce sat down at a table close to the water. Dick took his usual place next to Bruce while Jason and Scarlet sat across from them.
"Where's Alfred, isn't he joining us?" asked Sasha.
"He ate earlier and I suspect he's already taken a tray up to the boys," Bruce answered. "I'm sure he's talked with the staff to allow him to serve in that capacity. He has in the past. Well the buffet won't come to us." Before Bruce got up from the table, a humming bird tried to take nectar from the flowered Hawaiian shirt that he was wearing. In fact several humming birds were approaching him. "Maybe I should have worn a different shirt."
Dick laughed and then got up to head over to the buffet.
"I have never seen so many humming birds," Sasha said,
"This area is part of their winter grounds,' Bruce said. "Notice the feeders as well?'
Jason could hear one buzzing around him looking for nectar. "I noticed them."
"The buffet is open 24 hours so no one will go hungry."
"How long will Tim be resting?" asked Sasha.
"I suspect off and on for a few more days," Bruce answered "He's been through several ordeals in a short amount of time. He desperately needs the rest. He'll be up more when he's feeling better. He won't miss out on the fun. I suspect Dick and Damian won't let him."
"I hope not," Jason said. "t."Äù some, but not enoughThis is supposed to be for him. He should enjoy it."
"Do you think we should trade off staying with him while he goes through this?" asked Sasha. Dick returned with a plate of food then Jason got up to grab some.
"I think we should," Dick replied.
"I agree," Bruce concurred. "Seeing Damian sleeping with Tim this afternoon I realized these "rooms" are more like individual buildings connected by walkways for privacy. But they are a little too far apart in case Tim does have a nightmare. Heaven forbid he should start sleepwalking. He could end up in the water and drown."
Dick's face paled. "Don't . . . say stuff like that . . . please."
"It is a fact. We have to face it and be prepared for it, thought I haven't known Tim to go walking in his sleep."
"Let's hope he doesn't start doing that."
It was Bruce's turn to get up and get some food. He grabbed some coffee as well and took a sip. 'I'm going to have Alfred get a supply of this coffee for at home."
"With all this food here, we're all going to need to work out just to keep from going soft." Sasha said. Jason gave her a sly look.
"We sure are," Jason said and gave her a wink.
"Since Damian is with him now, who will relieve him later?" Bruce asked. "I am curious as to what prompted Damian to lay with Tim."
"I can," Dick shrugged.
Bruce saw the look that Jason and Sasha gave each other and I knew getting them to sit with Tim wasn't going to be easy. "I'll take a shift and then Alfred. Bruce noticed Alfred approaching.
"Masters Damian and Timothy are awake and having breakfast," Alfred stated in his usual formal style.
"That's good," Dick replied. "Tim's eating."
"Find out what happened and why Damian was with him. I'm curious."
Dick nodded and finished up his food then headed to his brothers room.
T&DT&DT&D
Tim was eating a small plate of fruit while Damian munched on some eggs and toast. He was still tired, but Tim was hungry too. "Could you hand me some orange juice?" Tim asked. Damian wasn't allowing Tim to get out of bed.
Damian grabbed his glass and filled it up. Alfred brought up a small pitcher so they could refill their glasses when needed. He handed Tim's glass back to him when it was refilled.
Dick walked into the room to see Damian and Tim still eating their breakfast. "How are you two this morning?"
"Can I get out of bed for at least a little while?" Tim asked. "I need to stretch my legs."
"I'm coming with you," Damian said. 'After last night, I didn't want him to be alone.'
Dick could tell that Damian didn't want to leave Tim by himself, which was unusual for Damian. "Sure, we could walk around. Maybe head out side for a bit if you'd like."
"Thanks. I feel like I've been in bed forever and if I don't move my legs are going to atrophy."
"We wouldn't want that now," Dick replied teasing. "So . . . not to be blunt, but Damian, how come you were in here? I thought you wanted to check out the resort."
"Tim was having a nightmare so I came in here to check on him."
Tim got up slowly to get dressed. His legs felt shaky and he needed to get some strength back in them. Dick kept a watchful eye on Tim as he walked around on shaky legs. He was ready to spring into action if Tim started to fall. Tim moved over to where his suitcase was sitting and pulled out some fresh clothes. "I could use a shower."
"The showers are amazing. I was almost in there for an hour."
"Really? Well then I better get one."
"I should grab one, too," Damian said and he headed back across the walkway to the room he shared with Dick.
Tim's legs were less shaky when he moved around. He went into the bath and turned on the shower. Dick was right. It was heaven. "Maybe we can get Alfred to change out the shower heads!" Tim shouted to Dick. "What do they call these? Rain showers?"
"I think so," Dick shouted back. "I wouldn't mind having those at the manor. I would never leave," he joked.
Tim came out a half hour later, his hair dripping and he got dressed. He felt more refreshed, though that was probably deceptive. "I'm ready to take a walk. How's your leg doing?"
"Much better. Bruce wants me to stay off of it though."
"Can't keep off of it forever. I feel up to walking on the beach, but your crutches might not fair well."
"You can take Damian with you. I'll be okay," Dick suggested. He was getting exhausted from walking around anyway.
"Maybe I'll do the beach tomorrow," Tim said. He really wanted to spend time with Dick. "Let's see if there's a nice place to sit and maybe watch the wildlife, like the people, or even the birds. Tell me what breakfast was like."
"The dining hall was amazing, lots of food and a whole bunch of humming birds flying around. A few even thought the flowers on Bruce's shirt were real and tried to take nectar from it."
"I would have loved to see that," Tim smiled. "Maybe I can have breakfast with everyone tomorrow. Could you at least show me the dining hall, even if we don't get anything to eat. I just had some fruit for breakfast."
"Sure, let's see if Damian is ready and we can head down. I'm sure you would love it down there."
Tim and Dick went across the walkway. Dick took his keycards out and opened the door. "Oh gee, I forgot my keycards," Tim realized.
"It's okay. I have a spare. Damian?"
"In here," Damian was still soaking in the bathtub when Dick and Tim came in.
'Tim and I are going to the dining hall, care to join us?"
"Give me a minute to get dried off," Damian said and he climbed out of the tub, grabbed a towel, and went to get dressed.
"We need to grab Tim's keycard. We'll meet you out on the walkway."
Dick reopened Tim's door so he could grab his keycards. Tim also went over to his bag and grabbed his camera. He was glad that Alfred thought about packing it. "Got one. Let's head to the dining hall."
Damian dressed and was waiting for them when they returned. They followed Dick to the dining hall. It was a sight they would never forget. Tim took out his camera and started taking pictures.
Damian's eyes were so wide. There were so many hummingbirds. One flew up to him and then went away. "Whoa . . ."
"Must have been that flowery bath soap you used," Tim said teasing. They moved over to a table so they could enjoy the birds. Tim wasn't aware that Dick went to the buffet and brought a plate back and set it in front of him.
"Still hungry?" Dick asked as he slipped the plate in front of Tim.
Tim looked at the food. The plate was pretty full. " . . . No . . ." Dick continued to stare at Tim as if to say he didn't believe him. 'What did he want me to do . . . Eat all that?'
"Eat . . . please? Just a little?" Dick pleaded.
Tim looked at the food and back at Dick. Even Damian was staring at him. Damian looked as if he'd wrestle Tim to the ground and force-feed him. Dick knew he might not be too hungry but he would like for him to take a couple of bites. They sat like that for at least a whole minute, until Tim's stomach betrayed him and gave out a very loud growl, loud enough to be heard.
Damian smirked. "Looks like you are hungry."
Tim couldn't deny it. He was hungry. He picked up a sausage and began to eat. "Happy now?"
"I'll be happier once you eat more," Dick said.
As they continued to watch the humming birds, Tim hadn't realized how hungry he was. He had eaten half the plate when he suddenly gave out a loud belch.
"That's horrible," Damian feigned shock. "Excuse you."
" . . . Excuse me . . ." Tim said, sheepishly. "I guess I was more hungry than I thought."
"Now I'm happy," Dick said grinning. "Did you need more to drink?"
" . . . Yeah . . . Thanks."
Dick poured him another glass of orange juice. "Here you are," then looked over to Damian. He was looking at the humming birds at one of the feeders.
"Hey, maybe there's a spot where we could go bird watching and I can get more images."
"There's a small area just out side of here." Damian pointed to a door leading to the outside.
"Great . . ."
Dick followed Tim and Damian as they got up and headed to the door.
They followed Damian to a secluded garden area where there were a variety of tropical plants. There were more humming birds and lots of other birds and tons of butterflies. 'Wow, I've never seen so many in one place in my life."
"I'm going to go have a seat over there," Dick said pointing to a bench. "You and Damian can take pictures."
Damian and Tim were taking pictures like crazy. They tried to get the best angles possible. They were at it for at least two hours. "Damian, did you bring your sketchbook?" Tim asked then gave out a yawn. His eyes were starting to droop and his legs were starting to hurt after being on his feet for a while. He sat down on a nearby bench and the next thing Tim knew he was lying down, his eyes closing on their own. The place was so peaceful. A couple of butterflies landed on him as he fell asleep.
"Yes," Damian pulled out his sketchbook from the small pouch he carried with him to the dining hall. He looked over to see Tim had fallen asleep. He sat down and opened his sketchbook and started drawing him. The lighting was perfect. He was done by the time Dick decided to wake up Tim.
"Tim, come on. Time to get up," Dick was leaning over him, gently shaking his shoulder.
"Hugh . . ." Tim yawned. " . . . Do I have to move? I don't want to disturb the butterflies." Several more had landed on him while he slept and he could feel their tiny feet tickling him. "How long was I sleeping?"
"Long enough to do a complete sketch of you," Damian said and he handed Tim his sketchbook.
Tim took the book and examined the drawing. "Cool. You got the butterflies . . . You should show that to Dad . . . " He gave out another big yawn.
"I will. You need to get back to your room."
"Can't I sleep here? Maybe more butterflies will land on me."
Damian looked around and noticed two more people enter. They looked like a couple of businessmen discussing a deal. They briefly looked in their direction. "I don't think so. You should rest up because I want to go to the caves to look at the bats tonight. I wanted to take you with me."
"They have a cave here with bats? Okay . . . I guess I could use a longer nap."
Damian waited for Tim to get up. He was a bit unsteady so Damian let Tim lean on him. Dick led the way back to their rooms. Tim plopped down on the bed and was practically asleep when he hit the pillow. Someone took his shoes off. Damian slipped off Tim's shoes and placed them on the floor. He was going to crawl in beside Tim, but decided against it.
Bruce came back to the rooms to see Dick and Damian coming out of Tim's room. "Is everything all right? I went for a walk to the village."
"We sat in the dining hall for a bit while Tim ate some more then went to take pictures of the birds." Damian said. He showed his father the sketch that he did of Tim.
"Tim actually went with you to the dining hall and ate something? That's good." Bruce looked at the sketch. "Where did you do this? I like the butterflies. Tim also looks quite peaceful. His face doesn't quite look so drawn."
"We went to a small bird watching area out side of the dining hall. It's pretty nice out there."
"I'll have to check it out. Right now, I'm wondering where Sasha and Jason went off to. We might not see those two until dinnertime."
Continues with Part 7