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 33

"Ugh," Tim stirred, but in his mind he was calling for someone, and that person wasn't his brother.

Samantha sensed Tim calling for her. /Tim?/

Somehow, deep down, Tim felt safe. /Home . . . Coming home./

Samantha felt happy. She wanted Tim in her arms. /You're coming home to me./

Tim slowly opened his eyes and saw the back of Batman and Nightwing. He was in the bat plane. ". . . Ugh . . . Nightwing . . . Batman . . ."

Nightwing turned toward Tim. He hardly left his side after they left Metropolis and had taken care of Devlin. "Hey."

"Bleeding . . . Need . . . Devlin . . ."

"I know, we're almost home. Hang on."

"Nightwing, use what we have in the first aid to pack Tim's wound. The pressure bandage from my utility belt probably needs changing."

Nightwing grabbed the first aid kit and pulled out the supplies he needed. He examined Tim's wound. He frowned at what he saw. 'Its almost like someone pushed their finger into it.'

As Nightwing pressed gauze against Tim's wound, Tim couldn't help reaching for his hand. 'I must feel hot to the touch. It feels like my body's on fire.' Tim started moaning when Nightwing pressed just a little too hard as he cleaned the blood off of Tim's hip.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Calm down." Nightwing took his glove off and gently cupped Tim's cheek. 'He's too warm. He must be running a fever. Infection?'

". . . M . . .sorry . . . promise to . . . "

"Hush. I should be the one apologizing. I freaked out. I just want you to live your life before settling down and having a baby."

"Love Samantha . . . Connection . . . Understand though," Tim licked his lips. "Thirsty . . . water."

Nightwing went and grabbed a water bottle and opened it up. He held up the bottle to Tim's lips and let him drink. Tim drank until he downed the whole bottle. He must have been dehydrated.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Nightwing placed the empty water bottle to the side then continued with his ministrations and keeping Tim's wound from bleeding further. Within an hour the bat plane was landing in the secret hanger.

"Take Tim over to the medical bay," Batman stated. "I'll take Devlin to Gordon."

Nightwing gently picked up Tim and walked down the ramp of the bat plane. He carried Tim over to the medical bay and laid him on a gurney. Alfred was waiting there as always.

"Let's look at the damage." Alfred said as dispassionately as he could. He looked at the wound and could not believe what had been done. "I am going to put you to sleep, Master Timothy. This is going to require corrective surgery. Bring me an IV kit, Master Richard. Master Timothy might have also lost some blood. I'll use the liquid anesthetic. That will make things easier. I'll include some nausea medication in the IV as well to prevent upset stomach."

Tim nodded and Alfred attached an IV to Tim's arm and then injected into the IV tube the anesthetic to put Tim to sleep along with the anti-nausea medication.

"Master Richard, once I complete the surgery, please carefully take Master Timothy up to his room. You can move him to his bed and I shall follow with a pint of blood and a bag of saline."

"Yes, sir." Nightwing went over and changed out of his uniform then returned to assist Alfred with Tim.

The surgery took thirty minutes to complete. With Master Timothy's hip repaired, Alfred signaled for Master Richard to take Tim upstairs. Instead of taking Tim on the gurney, Dick carefully picked Tim up in his arms. He didn't want to use the gurney. It was as if Dick had to feel for himself that Tim was home. He almost lost him again and that frightened him. He wasn't about to let his brother go by impersonal gurney, not this time. He used the elevator to get up to the second floor. Dick clung tightly to his sleeping brother and almost lost control when the elevator doors closed to take them up to the level of the bedrooms. He was still holding tightly onto his brother when the elevator doors opened. Sasha spied Dick carrying Tim as he emerged onto the second floor and came down the hallway toward Tim's room.

"Oh, thank goodness. Samantha has been beside herself with worry. Somehow, she knew Tim was in trouble."

Dick went into Tim's room and laid him down on the bed. He watched with a somewhat serious scowl as Samantha peeked around the corner. He needed to talk to her. "Come in."

Samantha stepped slowly into the room. She heard all the yelling earlier about Tim using protection. She thought it was better just to stay out of Dick's way and take Sasha shopping instead of risking his wrath. And now that Tim was home she didn't know if Dick was still angry with them. Samantha sat down next to Tim on the opposite side of the bed. She let their aura's mingle together to let Tim know she was there.

"I'm not mad or angry with you . . . " Dick started out.

" . . . You could've fooled me," Samantha said, interrupting Dick. "You were so angry last night. Your aura was seeping out from your door. Then you left. I thought it best to stay out of your way."

"Hear me out, Samantha," Dick stated. "Granted, I'm very disappointed in both of you. I love my brother, but I don't want you two making mistakes that you'll regret later. I don't know how they do things on that island of yours, but here, we respect each other and make sure things are done right. Your relationship with Tim may not work out between you two. You need to decide, but I don't want you or Tim to end up having children before you're ready, and end up regretting it later."

"Mmmmmm." Tim reached for Samantha's hand sensing she was there.

Samantha grabbed Tim's hand and squeezed it. "He's my red bird, Dick. I'm not going anywhere."

Dick couldn't help notice the slight smile that appeared on Tim's face when he grasped Samantha's hand in his sleep. He could see the conviction in her eyes as well. 'Maybe those two are meant for each other. I'm not going to stop them. What right do I have? I said what I needed to say. I just hope Tim will follow my advice, but even if he doesn't, I better make sure it's understood, I won't come between them.' Dick moved over to the same side of the bed then leaned down and kissed Samantha on her temple. "You make my brother happy. He's the happiest he's ever been in a while. I thank you for that. I won't come between you, again. Not unless you break his heart. Please, don't do it." He silently gave her his blessings and exited the room.

Samantha was stunned into silence. She reached up and placed her hand over the spot where Dick kissed her. 'Did he just give me his blessing in some off hand way?' Samantha crawled into bed to lie close to Tim. He was comforting to be around. She held onto his hand. "I love you Red bird," she whispered, then kissed his forehead and then rested her head and closed her eyes.

"Uh . . Noo . . . Devlin . . . Don't . . . NOOO!" Tim saw images of Devlin standing over him, tearing at his wound. Blood was everywhere. "Aaaaagh!"

Samantha was startled out of her sleep as Tim started thrashing about. "Tim, Tim calm down please," She said frantically and placed her hands on his shoulders to try to hold him in place. "It's okay, he's not here to hurt you! Tim wake up!"

Tears were streaming down Tim's face. His hands clenched into fists. His body was shaking not only from the fever he was spiking, but from the nightmare.

'He's burning up.' Samantha raced to Tim's bathroom and grabbed a wet washcloth. She started bathing his face. She unbuttoned his pajama shirt and used the cloth to cool his body down. She used her aura to try and sooth him as well. Her aura sought out the injury to Tim's hip and slowly healed it from the inside out without Sammie being aware of what she was doing. "Tim, please wake up." She rubbed his chest and continued to spread her aura throughout his body. "Please . . . "

Tim felt the coolness of the cloth and he could also feel a different kind of warmth spreading through him, calming him, healing him, and making him stronger. He reached for it. He felt someone's hand on his chest and he opened his eyes. "Samantha . . . I . . . I thought I'd never see you again."

"I was so worried for you."

"He wanted to take me away . . . Threatened to kill me if I didn't help him. Pushed his finger into my wound . . ."

"You're alright, you're home."

With Samantha rubbing Tim's chest and feeling the warmth of her hands, Tim was able to relax. " . . . Don't leave . . . Stay with me . . . Always . . ."

"I'm not leaving," Samantha said, as she bathed him with the cool wet washcloth to bring his fever down. "I'll be right here when you wake up and when you get better."

"Um'kay," Tim gave a slight nod as he closed his eyes and fell back to sleep. Samantha continued to care for her Red bird, humming to herself a song from the islands, that spoke of warm tropical breezes and cool nights, a song of Paradise.

End

A/N: Check out my profile for the next story in the Earth 14 Universe! Also A BIG THANK YOU! goes to JASONTODDLOVER! . . . My role playing partner! These stories would not come about without her!