Chapter Text

Stephanie dropped into the server room with a learned grace, landing in a crouch as to survey the area before moving. She let out a held breath as she saw she was alone.

She was not out in the field very often anymore, and as much as it pained her to acknowledge that Damian was right when he said she did more desk work now that fieldwork, it was true. Infiltrating this level of Lexcorp was something that needed to be done hands on, and no matter how much better at just about everything Cass was compared to Stephanie, this particular mission was hands on. Stephanie knew she was going to be in the proverbial doghouse with her roommate for using the fact that the other could barely read.

Shaking her head as she plugged in her handheld into the correct server, she downloaded the server code that would give her access to the files. Making sure that Luther stayed out of Gotham's future with a few leaked scandals was definitely worth a few rough training sessions with her quote, unquote protege.

It was not until she got back on top of the rooftop that anything seemed out of the ordinary. Thinking back, Stephanie should have realized that things were off. A criminal mastermind setting up shop in Gotham, the home of Batman and his cohorts, and there being little or no security probably should raised red flags. Stephanie did not know what to blame: herself, being out of practice, or being one of those nights.

The moment she made it back to the roof, there was a figure. Shrouded in black and red, the figure was in the metalwork for the billboard on top of the new Lexcorp Gotham branch. Stephanie paused as she noticed the figure, just barely able to press the tracker/silent distress beacon on her belt before the figure jumped down towards her.

Maybe only a few inches taller than her, with a definite lift from his boots, the figure moved with a finesse and easy grace that Stephanie exactly who she was dealing with. It was the same gait that she remembered from years before, the practiced ease that would drive her insane as they ran across rooftops together, her with great care to not fall and him soaring almost carefree.

"Didn't think I'd run into you here." Tim said with a mocking tone, much different than what Stephanie remembered of his voice.

Stephanie's heart drummed in her chest, freezing her entire body as Tim spoke. It was almost like being hit by Mr. Freeze's ice gun, which even with an insulated suit was brisk; the way her body did not response to her defensive instincts. Her mind just shouted at her, 'This is Tim! He's back, don't let him get away'. "Well, I'm just full of surprises aren't I." She tries to make her voice light and free of the panic that is rising up in her chest. When Tim had first returned he had put Damian out of commission for almost a week and the later attack on Jason at the Titan's tower left the boy with a new scar along his hairline.

Tim watched her shrug and took a single step forward. "That's for sure," Tim grinned, an eerily empty chuckle falling from his lips. "Don't look so scared, Steph. I'm not here to hurt you. You see..." Unable to finish his reasons, Tim soon found himself on the ground from an attack from behind him.

"You will not touch her." Cass said as she landed between Red Robin and Spoiler.

"Ah, Cassandra." Tim's voice was full of false pleasantry as he picked himself up. "I was wondering when you were going to show yourself."

Stephanie saw Cass's eyes narrow as Tim spoke, "Leave." She orders, ignoring Stephanie as she tries to get her to stand down with a hand on her shoulder.

"Cass." Stephanie whispers lowly. She really wanted to know what Tim was going to say. Tim is taking a step backwards as he raises his hands in surrender.

"I'm not here to fight." Tim says after a few steps back, "Just let Batman know that a storm might be on its way. And be sure to tell him that it has nothing to with me." Tim pulls himself into the billboard's metal works and disappears around the side.

Cass turns around quicker than Stephanie has time to process, and before she can think she receives a lightest punch to the shoulder. "What were you thinking?" She asks, voice low and slightly scary. "You looked like a rabbit in headlights."

Stephanie straightens up and glares at Cassandra, "I had it under control, we were just talking."

Cass shook her head. "He was unstable. I could not... read him." She paused as turned, hand pressing the button to speak on her commlink, "Yes, Blackbird. I found her."

"What the hell were you thinking Brown?" Damian's voice carries more than he thinks, allowing Tim to hear him from his hidden perch on the next rooftop without even the use of his long range listening device. Neither of his former teammates are in costume, but are both on the rooftop of Stephanie's building. Apparently their arguing had upset Cassandra enough that they had to leave.

Stephanie's stance is defensive, arms crossed as she glares at the taller, older man in front of her. "Like I knew he was going to be there Damian." She responds with a clear bite to her words.

"You still went in there without backup." Damian demands, hands clinched at his sides in tight fists. Tim can't see either of their eyes, but from the tone alone he could guess that Damian's eyes are narrowed in anger to mask the fear he felt for the other.

Stephanie throws her arms up, taking the two steps between them to be in Damian's face. "I went into a building I knew to be relatively empty to get into a server room that had two points of entry. Cass knew exactly where I was going to be and what time I was going to be out." Her voice is low, Tim only hearing due his tech.

"You knew he was out there." Damian's reply is clipped. "He's dangerous, why can't you see that."

Stephanie backs away, eyes scanning Damian for just a moment. "I know that. How could you think I don't remember what he did to you. To Jason and Bruce." She pauses, "I alerted Cass the moment I saw him. He didn't even get close... He just gave me a message for Bruce."

Damian sighs, "Yeah, you told me. What did he mean by 'a storm is coming'?"

"I have no clue." Is the reply as Damian steps closer, nudging Stephanie's elbow with his hand. "He was sure to say it wasn't him though. Why would he want to warn us though?"

"Who knows." Damian replies, pulling Stephanie closer into a tight embrace. His voice starts to fade as puts his nose, "You need to be more careful Brown..."

The exchange between the two becomes too quiet to hear, Tim shutting of his surveillance technology as something grips in his chest. He knew that the two had grown closer in his absence, and while he did not hold it against them moving on after his 'death' it still hurt. Hurt to know that life could move on without him, that he could be replaced in every way. Packing up, he grabbed his gear and left before he did something regrettable. It was not his place to be here. He warned them. So maybe he can finally shut up the voice telling him to stay. Stay in a place he is clearly not needed.

NOTE:

If you can/do/willing to, I totally recommend reading Grayson #12 (well, more like the whole series). But 12 is really good and cute... Jason looks fab and Damian is precious.

Now if only they would give Timbob a personality :)