Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 3

He frowned as he stared at the staff, something wasn't quite right. That flare the other day seemed to say it was becoming more powerful and yet…it had been harder to put that last group to sleep. He'd noticed something seeming to change in the dreamers, dulling. Had he missed something about a limit on the staff's power? There had been something about firsts…his translation may not be one hundred percent accurate…was the trouble because Superboy and Red Robin had not come to him?

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Danny grimaced as he took in the city, he had arrived in. So…this was Gotham, home to vigilantes and specifically one of those who had been trapped by The Staff of the Oneiroi. He wasn't sure he would be handing it over to Nocturn, maybe it'd be safer with Clockwork. But there was no point getting ahead of himself, he had to find the thing first.

He was torn over which to do first, get the staff or go after the two Nocturn had shown him, the first two victims. He didn't know how long it had been since they had been put into the dream but if left too long there'd be nothing left of them to wake. The Staff would slowly drain them until all that was left was a mindless husk, the body enslaved. It had been that information that had made him come, how could he leave so many people to become that? And whoever had it, they were very unlikely to stop until the whole world or as close as possible was under their spell.

Though…if they were vigilantes then likely they knew other vigilantes who were searching for the person as well. That could cut down some time. So…how exactly was he meant to find them?

Nocturn had given him a way to break people out of the dream but it would take too long and would never work to wake everyone since the staff holder would be able to work quicker than Danny.

He took to the skies, if he found crime then hopefully it'd lead him to the local heroes…unless they were all under the spell now.

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Dick ducked and slammed his opponent in the gut, making the man drop with a wheeze. He took a deep breath and began restraining the group for the cops. He paused for a second, feeling eyes on him, but there was no one there. Keeping his mind on the job wasn't easy, not with Tim getting so thin and pale the longer he was asleep. It'd been months and they had nothing. He hated it, they all did, but there was nothing more they could do that they weren't already doing.

Whoever it was, hadn't hit Gotham or any of the other big cities with local heroes. Was he worried he'd end up facing someone immune to the Staff's effects? Or the Speedsters since Impulse had shown that speed meant the Staff couldn't act in time. And maybe if more than one of them hit him, it'd overcome whatever protection he had. Of course, they had to find the bastard first and he was very good at managing to avoid detection, despite being the most wanted man in the country at the moment.

He made it back to the cave and quickly showered, changing into sweats and a t-shirt. Damian was working on something at the computer, Alfred keeping an eye on him. Which meant there was only one place to find B. He headed into the side room and sure enough he was at Tim's bedside, a pale limp hand held between his much larger ones. Dick hated the room, hated seeing his little brother in such a state. Alfred insisted that it was a good sign that they didn't need help breathing but seeing Tim wasting away… sometimes he wondered what would have happened if the creep had them, at least then they'd be active, their bodies keeping fit.

And who knew what long term effects the magic could have on their minds. If…when they woke, how long would have passed for them in a dream world? Would they recognise reality? Maybe they wouldn't remember the dreams, that would probably be the best option, right?

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Kon's hands caressed Tim's body as they moved together, locked in the pattern of the dream. It was all they knew now, the Staff draining everything from them to power itself. All they had left was the pleasure of each other's touch even when they didn't know who they were.

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Danny stared at the two sleeping forms, their closed eyes glowing a very familiar shade of green. So, the Staff did have ties to the Infinite Realms which meant he definitely had to get it away from whatever idiot had it. One of the two seemed to be in better condition than the other, though Danny wasn't sure why he was under red lamps. But the other, he was going to need a lot of physical therapy when he woke.

They'd been on a date during the dream Nocturn had shown him, what would they be seeing now? Hopefully just a happy family life that would be easy to slip into. Since they were sharing a dream, at least he wouldn't have to do it twice. So, which one of them to use as the conduit?

He listened to the two men in the room, learning all he could about the dreamers and those around them.

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Bruce shivered slightly as Dick stood beside him, his gaze never moving to his brother. He couldn't blame Dick, watching Tim slowly waste away… for this…Bruce might actually break his rule. He wouldn't be able to condone any of the children if they did should they find the man who had done this to Tim. Jason's death had been brutal but overall, swift. This may lack the violence but…

Was the room suddenly colder? He reached out to pull Tim's blankets up higher, checking the heating. Even Kon was beginning to have trouble regulating his body temperature now so they had to layer on more blankets and heating pads. They also couldn't risk overheating them, it was a delicate balance.

"You okay?" he asked, seeing how tense Dick still was.

"I keep feeling like someone's watching me," Dick admitted, shrugging slightly.

That was odd and concerning. Yes, they'd all been a bit off their game since Tim and Kon had fallen victim, but his trusted Dick's instincts. If he thought he was being watched then he was.

The feeling of cold fade and Dick frowned. Bruce started, were the two connected…had someone followed Dick back to the cave? Seen their faces?

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Danny had chosen the sicklier looking teen because he really needed to wake up ASAP. So, just in case waking them both from the one dream didn't work then he'd wake first. He hated Overshadowing people, even if it wasn't exactly the same thing. He slipped into the vigilante's body and into the dream with only the smallest resistance.

He opened his eyes to find there was basically nothing but a bed with the two…well…this was going to be awkward. He had to engage in the dream…yeah, he really hated Nocturn. And it looked like he was going to have to do this individually since he'd only really be able to interact with one at a time.

Danny took a deep breath and joined them on the bed. There was no way he was going to be naked though, he didn't know if they'd remember this once awake and they didn't know him.

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Tim moaned as cold hands moved to rest on his shoulders, arching his back as they moved to caress him. He was drawn back to rest against an equally cold chest as the hands moved to his front. He whimpered as they moved lower but never touched where he really wanted. Something…something…his head was guided to the side and he was being kissed, eagerly participating. Cold…too cold…lips moved to his throat and he moaned again, responses more natural than they had been with Kon where it had just been repetition, the dream repeating the same things continuously.

The new actions had Tim's vacant gaze fading slightly, pushing past the emptiness of the Staff's effect to reach Tim's mind. He'd been almost completely drained by it, but the tiny piece of him left reacted to the change, to the cold sensation of strange hands and lips. Ever so slowly, noise began to register…words…

"Wake up Tim," lips moved against his skin. "Your family needs you. Don't give in, you have to wake up."

Bright, glowing, blue eyes stared into his and Tim gasped, gaze sharpening as awareness struggled to return.

"That's it, this is a dream, you have to wake up."

Tim…he…he was Tim. He blinked slowly, struggling to understand what was happening, even as Kon touched him, thrust up into him. So warm…hands on his chest cold…contrasting…he cried out in pleasure and then slumped back against a cold body, male, strong…who?

"Wh…"

"That's it, fight." The voice was firm but gentle.

Tim blinked, vision becoming clearer. K…Kon…that was Kon on his back under him, inside him…everything blurred and then Kon was touching him again, moving inside him. "Wh…at?" he slurred.

"You have to think Tim, it doesn't want you to, but you have to."

Think? He…he was good at that…wasn't he? It was hard, he just wanted to let go and feel. He let his eyes drift shut, only to gasp as he was pinched, not painfully, more like a warning. He opened his eyes to be met with bright blue, able to make out soft white hair and pale skin. "W'o?"

"If this was your dream, you'd know who I am," the voice said and that…that made sense.

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Jason sat on the chair by Tim's bed, watching him sleep, checking the monitors to make sure nothing had changed. He avoided looking at his face, hating the sight of the liquid meal feeding down the tube in his nose. He blinked and leant closer, staring at the monitor keeping track of brain activity. There was something different, and he felt a moment of terror, that it'd be slowing, that his brain was shutting down…no…it was the opposite! He checked the earlier readings and compared them, yes! His brain was more active. That had to be a good sign, right?

"Come on Timmy, you can do it. You've got to wake up kid."

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"Come on Timmy, you can do it. You've got to wake up kid."

He…he knew that voice… it as like trying to think through concrete, not helped by Kon. His head feel back onto a cold shoulder as he moaned, writhing on top of Kon, unable to pull away from him.

"I've got you," the stranger murmured, and Tim shuddered as a sudden chill went through his body, cold enough to kill his arousal, teeth chattering for a moment. "Your family is waiting for you Tim; all you have to do is wake up. I know it's hard but you can do it."

How? He wanted to be with Kon but…he wanted his family too. "Nn…not re'l," he forced the words out.

"This isn't real, Tim. You're being controlled by The Staff of the Oneiroi, do you remember that?"

Staff? He…he bit his lip, he had to focus…remember.

"Don't fight it, just give in and rest. You're so tired of fighting, aren't you?"

Tim jerked, eyes wide in terror, memory flooding back. "Who…where…"

"Easy, I'm here to help," the stranger murmured, and Tim…he believed him.

If he was part of the dream then he wouldn't be encouraging him to wake up, would he?

"Come on Timmy, you can do it. You are not joining the Dead Robin's Club this way." Jason! That was Jason's voice.

"I…I don't know how," Tim admitted. He could feel it, trying to pull him back in, and he struggled against it, to remain aware. He tried to push away from Kon, surprised to find it was working. "Help," he whispered, and cold hands wrapped around him, pulling as he pushed.

The bed and Kon faded away, leaving him in blackness. And then he realised he was totally alone, the stranger gone…but Tim was dressed…in a hospital gown? No, the gowns used in the Cave, not a hospital.

"Hello?" he called, but there was nothing but silence. He…he was scared, hugging himself. So alone…so tired…NO! He shook his head, seeing the streaks of green in the blackness now, the streaks coiling around him.

Okay, so green was bad. He already knew that thanks, it was almost the same shade as Lazarus water. Had he been dunked in a Pit? No, he…dreaming, he was dreaming. He had to find a way out.

More coils of green reached for him and he found he could dodge, there was no ground, no up or down. He was kind of flying; he'd never done that under his own power before. A coil lashed out and he grabbed it on instinct, gasping, eyes wide.

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Tim had vanished and there was nothing more Danny could do for him, the rest was up to Tim. But the other teen still lay on the bed, moving as if Tim was still there. His hands caressed thin air, dull blue eyes staring vacantly at where Tim's face had been. One down, one to go.

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Jason froze as he felt something…his eyes shot back to the monitors, taking in the recorded activity. "Tim? Can you hear me?" and there was a shift on the monitor as he spoke. "Come on Tim, try and squeeze my hand," he urged. He squeezed Tim's hand to try and give him something to track.

And then Tim's back arched off the bed, glowing green eyes snapping open as he gasped. Jason leapt to his feet, reaching for the button that would give him a new dose of paralytic with one hand, the other reaching for an oxygen mask… the green glow increased and Jason instinctively moved away, then there was a flash of green and the room was quiet except for the monitors beeping away.

He moved back to Tim's bed and froze as glassy blue eyes stared back at him. "Tim?" he whispered shakily.

Tim blinked slowly and then his lips parted, but no sound emerged. He swallowed and licked his lips, and Jason moved, grabbing a cup and then opened the freezer Alfred had moved into the room, putting ice chips in the cup. When he turned back Tim was wrinkling his nose, seeming confused. He shook his head and hit the alarm button to summon whoever was in the house.

"It's just a feeding tube kiddo," he explained gently. "Here, this should help your mouth and throat." He carefully lifted Tim's head with one hand and then tipped a few chips into his mouth. "Suck on them." He waited to see what Tim would do, could he understand him? Did he have the control to suck and then swallow?

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Bruce slammed into the side room, barely avoiding hitting the corner, terrified by what he'd see. He froze, staring at the sight of Jason and Tim, brain not fully accepting what he was seeing even as he heard Damian skid to a stop behind him. "Tim?" he whispered, and blue eyes shifted to look his way, not fully focused but open and their natural colour. "Sweetheart?" he staggered to the bed, reaching for Tim's hand.

"Not sure how aware he is," Jason murmured.

Bruce nodded, lifting Tim's hand between his, relieved to find he was warmer than he had been. He squeezed very gently and smiled as Tim reacted. He let go with one hand and slowly reached out to brush his hair back from his face. Tim watched him, expression a little vague, but surely that was to be expected after so long. "You gave us a fright, son. You're in the Cave, you're safe. Kon's in the bed next to you," he explained in case Tim was tracking what he was saying.

Tim's brow furrowed slightly and he licked his lips, so Jason fed him a few more ice chips. Tim sucked on them, swallowing jerkily. His lips parted again and a breathy sound emerged, he was trying to speak.

"Don't push Tim, it's alright. You've…you've been asleep for a long time. It'll take time to recover." He knew Tim, knew his son would hate being bedbound but he would be for a while.

And then Kon was gasping, back arching.

"That's what Tim did!" Jason called.

"Clark, Tim's awake and it looks like Kon's waking too," Bruce called out, knowing his friend was keeping an ear on the Cave when not present.

Jason moved towards Kon's bed but then Clark was there, looking very windswept, so he went to get another glass instead, flicking off the red sun lamps on his way.

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Clark leant over Kon, noting the lack of green glow from his now open eyes. "Kon?" he called softly, assuming Kon's senses were likely going haywire after so long asleep. "It's alright, you're safe," he promised, reaching out to gently stroke his curls back from his face.

Kon just blinked up at him, eyes unfocused.

"Tim only just tried to talk and still doesn't seem fully aware of what's going on," Jason warned him as he tipped some ice chips into Kon's mouth.

Clark nodded in understanding. Usually, he'd assume Kon would recover quickly but months with the lamps on him to allow medical intervention would have seriously weakened him. And they couldn't keep them off until sure Kon could eat and drink for himself.

"Jon misses you a lot, he keeps begging to come see you. Lois threatened to paint my cape green if I don't bring her by soon. They'll both be very happy you're awake."

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Danny smiled softly as Tim and Kon were comforted by their families, even though they were still pretty out of it. He turned away, not wanting to intrude…to see what he'd never have… he had a crazy magician to find anyway.

TBC…