Disclaimer: Don't own Batman, Red Robin, or anything DC.

I know, another new one. Sorry?

Chapter 1

Tim staggered off his bike and collapsed on the grass, hugging his knees to his chest as he stared at Gotham's skyline. It hurt…it hurt so much. He closed his eyes, fighting tears. Good thing he'd already changed out of the Red Robin suit since a vigilante huddling in the grass crying wouldn't look good.

What had happened to them? How could Dick… but Dick hadn't really seen him as a brother since Damian arrived. He was too focused on the shiny new toy to care for the little brother he'd promised to always be there for.

He just didn't understand why no one was willing to listen to him. Dick, Alfred, Clark… Babs was really busy so he hadn't gone to her, same with Diana though Cassie's reaction hadn't been encouraging on that end. It had been years since he was so alone, he'd gotten used to having people in his corner. He couldn't believe Cassie, after everything they'd been through…Kon and Bart would have believed him, would have let him show his evidence. The four of them had been the odd misfits of the sidekicks, it had been the best time of his life really. They'd had such crazy adventures that he'd let himself belief nothing could tear them apart, well nothing but death, but it seemed he'd been wrong.

He took a shaky breath, he needed to get up and get going. He had a flight to catch and he needed to get out of Gotham before Dick came after him again or convinced Babs to block his ability to fly out. But he couldn't make himself move, glad for how little traffic there was, that he'd pulled his bike off the road to keep it from being spotted.

"Tim," a soft but strong voice called and he stiffened in alarm, mentally swearing.

Cassie was one thing…but Diana? He had no way to get away from her. Then again, she had the Lasso of Truth, if she'd let him explain then she'd know he was telling the truth.

"What has happened little one?" She asked gently as she sat beside him in the damp grass.

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Diana was concerned for Bruce's family. She had been busy on Themyscira but had returned to alarming whispers among the League. A new Robin had been whispered of and what was being said of his predecessor… Tim was in civilian attire, although the bike parked nearby was the one he rode as Robin. And he was becoming soaked as he just sat in the grass, but the misting rain did nothing to disguise the tears. She sat beside him, letting their shoulders brush.

He had grown a lot in the last four years, though he was still smaller than his brothers. Carefully, she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, feeling him stiffen. He was…afraid of her? She drew him closer into her side, her hold protective. "I will never harm you little one," she promised softly.

She could feel him starting to tremble and simply lifted him from the wet grass to sit in her lap, the wet did not bother her. "It's alright Tim, I'm here." And that was all it took for him to curl into her, sobbing. She had never seen him cry like that before, but he needed the cleansing emotional release.

Had he had no support for his grief? Yes, the whole family was grieving but that should have brought them together. What was going on in Gotham?

Finally, the tears subsided and Tim stiffened, going to pull back.

"There is no shame in tears," she assured him gently.

"Did Dick send you?" he asked quietly.

"No one sent me. I heard talk of a new Robin and wished to see for myself that you were alive and well."

"Oh," Tim blinked at her, eyes red from tears, face a little flushed from crying and embarrassment.

"Will you tell me what happened?" She asked, and he hesitated again before slowly beginning to speak. By the time he finished he was obviously exhausted and she was rather angry. But she would not show that anger, not wanting Tim to think she was angry at him.

Instead, she stood with Tim in her arms, making him flail briefly. She chuckled and adjusted her grip on him.

"Diana?"

"You will spend tonight in my spare bedroom. No one will expect you to leave from DC," she explained, and his eyes went wide.

"You…you believe me?"

"Yes Timothy, I believe you." She walked to his bike and grabbed his things before triggering the tracker on it so that it could be retrieved before taking to the air.

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Tim woke up feeling warm and safe…something he hadn't felt in what felt like forever. He blinked open his eyes to find an unfamiliar bedroom. He got up and went to the window, seeing some of the landmarks of Washington DC. Oh! Right, Diana had brought him to her civilian apartment. His bags were against the wall, the larger one was designed to fool airport security for transporting gear, the second was just a smaller backpack for his electronics and things for the flights. He got out some clean clothing and headed for the bathroom to shower.

Once dressed, he headed for the kitchen to find Diana cooking. She turned and smiled at him and he found himself genuinely smiling back for the first time since Kon had died.

"Good morning, Tim, how do you feel?"

"Better, thanks," he answered, eyes locking onto the coffee machine, making her laugh.

"Go ahead." She waved to the cabinet, and he found mugs inside.

He soon had a mug of coffee and drank it while setting the table for the two of them. They sat quietly while they ate and it was very nice.

"So where are you planning to go first?" She asked as they washed up.

"London, there's a promising exhibit on at the British museum." He waited for her to say something.

"Those flights are frequent so you shouldn't have any trouble getting a ticket."

That had Tim relaxing, she really wasn't going to try and stop him. And then she was pressing a comm into his hand. "Um…"

"You will stay in contact Tim and if you need anything, I will come. I have heard the whispers but not everyone believes them."

He stared at the small unit; it was one of the ones used by small teams on covert missions to ensure privacy. He looked up at her and nodded, fighting the urge to cry again. Nope, no more tears. He wasn't a little kid, he hadn't been one in years, tears never helped anything.

"Okay," he agreed.

"If there is a new Robin, do you have a suit?"

Tim nodded. "I took the Red Robin gear. It's more armoured so safer for working alone and I didn't have time to come up with something."

That made her frown and it was understandable, using a suit not fitted exactly to you could be risky. Red Robin was more armoured than Robin but being a little too big meant it could move or bunch up and not protect him properly in a fight.

With the kitchen clean, he went online to book his ticket, deciding on an evening flight so he could take his time. He'd never actually been to the city as a civilian before so he could spend a few hours looking around before he had to head to the airport. He was surprised to find that Diana had thrown his things from yesterday in the wash so that he didn't have to worry about it.

"So, what would you like to see or do?" she asked, and Tim was surprised.

"You don't have work or something?"

"No, I actually arrived back earlier than expected. And I know you've never been to DC as a civilian."

Tim nodded.

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Diana had enjoyed the few hours of playing tour guide for Tim but eventually it was time for his flight. She smiled when he hugged her, returning it. "Have a safe flight and be careful."

"I will," Tim smiled and then vanished amongst the other commuters.

She prayed for his safety while in Europe, unable to help remembering what had happened to the last bird who left the US alone. Diana remained at the airport until his flight took off just in case something happened and then she slipped away. She had a few people to 'talk' to.

She changed and headed up to the Watchtower, pleased to find Superman logged in.

"Kal, we need to speak," she called when she saw him.

He looked surprised but nodded and followed her to one of the soundproofed rooms. "Is something wrong?"

"Your behaviour when it comes to Tim," she stated firmly.

"Diana?"

"Did you even speak with him or did you just take Richard's word for everything?" She demanded.

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He stared at Diana, not sure what had her so angry. "Dick explained what's been going on. Tim is very stressed what with no longer being the youngest in the family as well as K…Kon and Bart's deaths before Bruce's. Add in his dad as well… it's no wonder he's struggling. It's been so bad that Cassie caught him trying to clone Kon. He needs help."

"Did you even listen to him or look at his evidence to Bruce being alive?" She asked, one eyebrow arched.

"Well, no. It's better not to," he started and she glared at him.

"When has Tim ever been wrong, Kal-El?" She demanded, and he was really starting to become concerned.

"He's only human, everyone gets things wrong at times."

"Well, this isn't one of them. I listened to him, I held him as he broke down in tears of grief and frustration that everyone has turned their backs on him on the word of one man. I looked over his evidence and I agree with it!" She snarled at him. "That boy has faced multiple murder attempts in his own home because no one is willing to listen to him. He trusted you!"

He backed away, eyes wide. If she was right…then he had truly messed up.

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Diana smiled as a photo popped up, Tim in front of Buckingham Palace. He still looked tired but not as bad as he had the night that she found him. The time travelling seemed to be doing him good which she was happy about. She hadn't told him about her 'talk' with Kal-El, it was up to him to reach out to Tim.

She would have to speak with Cassie about her role in things. She had not reached out to the younger woman enough since the death of two of her teammates. She had seemed to be doing well and Diana had let it slide but she shouldn't have. And she had thought Cassie had Tim, that the two of them would cling closer as the last two left of their original team. The four had always been so close after all.

She wasn't sure what to do about Dick, he was now technically Tim's guardian as well as Damian's. But with everything Tim had told her… he was failing both of them badly. He had done nothing when Damian attempted to kill Tim but punished Tim for trying to defend himself. Keeping the two teens together simply wouldn't work, even if they managed to find Bruce, Tim had made that clear.

She looked down at the sketchpad in front of her, surprised to find she'd been absently drawing. And then she blinked as she realised what she'd been drawing. Well…

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Tim slipped past security, landing silently on the ground. He'd been to the museum yesterday as a civilian to get the lay of the land properly and now he was back. It was weird but…he kind of felt a little excited. Was this what Selina felt during a heist? If so, he could understand her more and he wasn't even planning to steal the object he was there for. Diana had made sure he would have the equipment necessary to make any recordings or take readings he needed without removing the item. Having someone willing to listen, who believed him and supported him, it made so much difference. He felt…lighter.

He found the bat themed object and set his equipment up to ensure he had everything he needed. Once done, he slipped away without anyone ever realising he was there. He made it back to his hotel and to his room. He changed out of the Red Robin gear and had a shower before falling into bed. He sent a quick message of thanks to Diana before settling in to sleep.

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"Hey Diana," Dick gave her a tired smile.

"Richard," she nodded, surprising him by the more formal name and the…frostiness of her tone.

"Is something wrong?" he asked in confusion.

"Richard who is this hussy?" Damian demanded as he approached, and Dick closed his eyes.

"Damian, this is Diana Prince, Wonder Woman," he explained. "Sorry, we're working on that," he told her as Damian stormed off.

"And his tendency to try and murder his brothers?"

"What?" Dick asked and then sighed. "Tim's been telling tales again." Damn it. He got it, Tim wasn't handling Damian's appearance well. But come on! He was older, he should be more understanding.

"I found him on his way out of Gotham and he spent the night at my apartment so I could ensure he would have everything he needed, including the needed equipment for recording and scanning."

"What?" Dick stared at her.

"I listened to him, Richard. I let him grieve for his friends and family and I listened with an open mind. When has Tim every claimed something without evidence? Who deduced your and then Bruce's identities as a child with only a flip as evidence?"

He swallowed, no… but he could do nothing but listen as she laid everything out. And then she placed papers in front of him. "What?"

"A transference of custody. Until Bruce returns, you will be signing over custody of Timothy to me. With Damian here, even if Tim returns, this place is not safe for him."

"You want to be Tim's guardian?"

"I cannot do a worse job than you," she pointed out, and Dick couldn't help flinch.

He didn't believe that Damian had really tried to kill Tim. He was testing him, that was all. The kid didn't know any better after a decade of being raised by Talia and Ra's. He stared at the legal papers before him. "I can't sign these! Tim's my brother, I love him. He needs help Diana, not someone pandering to his delusions!" He snapped at her.

"So, what, you want to through him in Arkham for disagreeing with you?" She demanded, and he froze. "He heard that conversation and you wonder why he doesn't feel safe? Arkham of all places, Richard? Even if he was mentally unbalanced due to grief, that is the last place anyone would ever send someone they claim to love as a brother. If he wasn't mentally challenged before admission, he would be insane within weeks. You'd lock your brother away with the madman who killed his older brother? With the very criminals he's spent years fighting?"

Dick sank back in a chair. He…he…he hadn't meant it. The thought of Tim in Arkham, drugged out of his mind and terrified made him feel sick.

"Arkham?" a familiar voice growled, and Dick's head jerked up to see Jason in the doorway, eyes green. "You want to put Timmy in Arkham?" he snarled in rage.

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"Calm down Jason, Tim is safe," Diana rested her hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her, his expression the boy who had once stared at her in awe as he whispered that she was his favourite. "Promise?"

"He's not in the US and I have ensured that, if necessary, he can be legally protected." She had ensured that he had paperwork placing him under the protection of the Embassy of Themyscira. Thankfully, he was letting her know where he was staying so she had the paperwork sent to his hotel.

"Sign the papers Dick," Jason told his brother.

"Jay…"

"No, you've seriously screwed up and if Tim never speaks to you again, that's your fault. I'd be giving you the same paperwork if I wasn't legally dead and probably further down his list of liked people than you considering what I did to him. At least I can admit I screwed up and if he'll listen, I'll apologise."

Diana was relieved that Jason sounded far more level-headed. She hadn't seen him since his return to Gotham. He had grown a lot from the scrawny, malnourished boy Bruce had taken in. "Please sign the papers."

Dick looked from her to Jason's angry form and slowly picked up the pen.

Diana took the papers and guided Jason out of the house with her. "Tim didn't mention something happening with you," she offered softly.

Jason snorted, staring at the ground. "I could have killed him," he admitted softly. "If the Batsuit wasn't so armoured…"

"Tell me?" she asked, listening as Jason told her what he remembered.

"You know the force needed to fully compromise those suits and yet the blow was not fatal. Tim knows you know that as well. If you'd really wanted him dead, he would be. I think that if you reach out, Tim will be more willing to listen than you believe," she explained once he was done.

"I doubt he took his phone since Dick can track it."

"No, he has a new one and new number. You should reach out; he could use someone to watch his back."

"You'd trust me to do that?" Jason asked, and she nodded.

"You saw what you had done in grief and rage and left to seek help. You are a good person, Jason. So yes, I do trust you to protect your brother."

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Jason stared at the number, taking a deep breath before dialling it. It rang for a bit before it was answered, not surprising since he had a new number too.

"Hello?" Tim's voice was wary but calm.

"Hey Timmy," he answered, hearing Tim suck in air.

"Jason?" his brother asked, wariness still evident.

"I'm sorry kid, I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Tim almost sounded confused.

"Everything."

"Jay…we talked about the Tower ages ago."

"We were doing good, weren't we?" Jason asked softly.

"Yeah. What happened after…it wasn't your fault. You were grieving for B, trying to protect Gotham in your own way…what happened was both our fault. Neither of us was really listening. You could have killed me but you didn't, you pulled the blow. Yeah, it hurt and I had to heal but you could have done a lot worse."

Jason closed his eyes. Tim didn't hate him, despite everything. "I didn't know what Dick did, what he threatened. You should have heard Diana rip him a new one over it."

"How could he even consider it?" Tim whispered.

"I don't know," Jason admitted. "He's under a lot of stress but that's no excuse. If he really thought you needed help then there are way better methods, even for vigilantes. One call to Dinah and he would have had a list of options. The idea of you locked up in there…I'd have never have left you in there if Dick had done it, I would have done whatever I had to, to break you back out. I swear it."

Tim took slow, steady breaths and Jason knew he was trying not to cry.

"Let me come Tim, let me back you up, please."

"But your work…"

"Can run without me, the wonders of good lieutenants. The last time a bird went overseas alone…"

"Technically was me during training," Tim pointed out, huh, he hadn't known that. Just what else had he missed in Talia's 'specially prepared' dossiers.

"Please Tim."

"I'm leaving for Spain tomorrow. If you leave today…"

"I'll meet you there," Jason grinned. "Madrid?"

"Yeah. I'll see you there."

Jason quickly booked a ticket and began packing what he'd need. He was not going to let his family down again; he was not going to hurt Tim ever again.

TBC…

So decided to see how Tim's search and future would change with some support from others in the community.

No one wants to get in an angry Diana's way. Any guesses what she was idly drawing without realising it?