Tim Drake Gets the Love he Deserves

Chapter Five

Warning: talk of suicide and neglectful parents
...

Steph was hugging Tim, her head rested against his shoulder as she held onto him like she was afraid of losing him. Babs watched as Tim slowly reciprocated the hug, his movements awkward and unsure. He obviously wasn't used to physical affection. 

Steph brought her hands up to rest on Tim's cheek, and asked him with a look if she could do what she wanted to do. 

Tin breathed in, deeply, nodding in response. Steph began to slowly take off the mask, soon enough revealing beautiful blue eyes that seemed to hold a wisdom that most teens didn't have. 

Babs exhaled, not realizing she'd been holding her breath. Steph was smiling, again, hugging the teen loser and digging her nose into the crook of his neck. 

The two stayed like that a bit longer before separating. Tim smiled at the group, his eyes filled with knowledge that sent shivers down everyone's spines. 

"So, I assume you have questions?"

"Are you a superhero in your universe? What can you do?" M'gann asked, a kind smile on her face.

Tim observed the room, watching the team's reactions and how they held themselves before answering, seeming to be searching for clues. "Oh, uh... I was Robin. The third one, actually."  

Nightwing and Robin froze when they heard those words, they minds moving a mile a minute. 

"You were Robin?" Jason asked. "So I passed on the mantle?" 

Tim and Steph both froze, neither action going missed by any of the occupants of the room. 

"What are you hiding?" Dick asked, crossing his arms. "It must be big." 

Tim and Steph glanced at each other, having a conversation only they could hear. Steph had narrowed her eyes and Tim let out a sigh, tensing up sightly. 

"In...My universe, I become Robin after Jason... Jason died."

"Holy shit." Jason exclaimed. "I died?!" 

Tim flinched, cowering backward slightly, before nodding. "Uh, yeah. It was pretty bad." 

Steph had apparently decided that she should take over. Which, Babs noticed, was probably a good thing. Tim seems on the verge of hyperventilating. 

"Batman went crazy after you died. He started sending muggers to the hospital. He became more harsh, more aggressive." she explained, a hand moving to rest on Tim's shoulder. "Timmy here decided enough was enough and became Robin."

"Forced B to make me Robin." Tim corrected. "He didn't want to take on another Robin, especially not one like me. I forced his hand." 

Steph deflated slightly, a stricken look crossing over her face. 

"That's not true, Timmy. You know that." she whispered, shaking her head. "It's not, you were a great Robin." 

"Couldn't keep you from dying." Tim muttered. 

A sound of a wounded animal came from Steph as she froze, her eyes widening in shock and despair. 

Babs decided then that it was time to move on. "What other differences are there between our worlds? Other than Jason being gone." She couldn't quite bring herself to say "dead."