Got Your Back, Always

IV.XV

Tim was sitting across from Rachel in the van, "Do you think Conner will come back?"

Krypto starts to whimper.

Rachel looks over to him, "Well I don't think he'd leave Kryptop behind forever."

Tim started to pet Krypto to comfort him. "You okay?"

"I don't know."

"I mean, you got your powers back. That has to be good, right?"

"When I first lost my powers, I felt like there was something missing. And now they're back, but the weight is different. Like the darkness is gone."

Krypto growls softly.

Tim smiles, "Sounds like a good thing."

"Yeah. Sometimes I think that part of me... fed off the darkness. And I don't really know who I am without it." Tim's phone vibrates. "Your parents?"

Tim sighs and doesn't answer the text, "Bernard."

"Are you gonna respond?"

Tim pets Krypto again, "And say what? He told me he didn't think I was ready for combat. And he was right. What happened in that temple, how do I explain that? I'm not gonna lie to him. I mean, we're not dead, but we're not okay."

Rachel gave him a look, "We are now though, right? You have to tell them that at least."

Tim sighed, "We're still chasing down May and Sebastian, and all we have to go on is a book from a dead Lex Luthor. How's he gonna handle that? I- I don't even know how I'm handling it."

"You can't just ignore him 'cause you think he can't deal with it."

"You're right." Tim sighs and picks up his phone, "Maybe I should respond to my mom, too, then."

"Oh my god!"

"I know."

A notification on the screen popped up saying "No tracker found".

Rachel got up and looked at it, "Oh shit. Dick's not gonna like that."

"What is it?" Tim asked.

"Cassie's tracker, says it's not found. I'll text him."

Cassie's eyes snapped open. She bolted up and looked around. She was in Dick's room this time, in the Titans Tower. She groaned and flopped backward. She grabbed the blanket and tossed it over her head and shut her eyes.

After a few moments she threw the blanket and just pushed everything her mind was confused about to the side and took a shower and got ready for the day.

She was in the kitchen eating some breakfast when Tim walked in.

"Oh hey Cassie, Dick is having me do some recon tonight and maybe suggested I ask if you'll come out with me? Kinda show me how you do it?" Tim fiddled with his sleeve while asking.

She smiled, "I would love to. Who are we looking for?"

"A jewel thief. The owners of the museum are hosting a gala in two days and they think that this international jewel thief will try and take their prized piece."

"Simple enough, we'll go around sundown, perfect time," she grinned at him.

Tim smiled and nodded before rushing off. She chuckled and grabbed her cup of coffee and made her way to the tech room to get some work done.

She sat down and started typing a few things into the computer.

Tim walked in, "Hey you ready to go? It's almost sundown."