Chapter Text
Dick’s heart raced, a surge of disbelief and hope flooding through him. Could it really be? He stepped closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “Robin?”
The figure stirred, their breathing ragged, and looked up with a fierce, defiant glare. Even in the dim light, Dick could make out the make-shift domino mask, the dark hair matted with sweat and blood. This Robin’s body was smaller than he expected—closer to Jason’s when he’d first been taken by Bruce. But the look in his eyes was hauntingly familiar: stubborn, resilient, unyielding, even in pain.
“Who… who are you?” the young Robin choked out, attempting to sit up straighter despite the obvious pain.
Nightwing took a moment to observe the Robin in front of him. A teenager wearing a makeshift domino and a hoodie with the trademark yellow, green, and red. A trained eye could see the hastily wrapped bandages, evidence of a lone struggle and too many nights spent patching himself up without help.
This Robin had been fighting without the luxury of a mentor’s guidance, and it showed in every bruise and scar etched across his skin. There was a haunted look in the boy’s eyes, one that seemed far too old for his age, filled with weariness and resolve that only Gotham’s streets could forge.
Dick held up his hands in a calming gesture. “Easy. I’m not here to hurt you,” he said softly, carefully approaching.
Robin’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of recognition mixed with disbelief. “Grayson?” he muttered, though their bravado faltered as they shifted and winced, pressing their hand harder against their side to stop the bleeding.
Dick’s mind was all over the place. How did this Robin know him when the Superman couldn’t? He opened his mouth to reply but stopped when Robin continued.
“John Grayson?” Blood was seeping through Tim’s fingers, staining the green gloves a darker shade.
What?
What?
Dick took a steadying breath, crouching down a few feet away to show he wasn’t a threat. He could see now that the wound was deep, likely a slash from the very dagger he’d found. “You’re hurt. Let me help you.”
He’ll schedule his breakdown when he gets a fucking break in this fucked up universe.
Robin shook their head, gritting their teeth. “I.. can.. handle.. it.” But his voice wavered, betraying a note of fear beneath the bravado, his eyes dropped in clear fatigue, and he lost the fight with staying awake.
Brave, brave Tim. A constant in every universe. He wants to wrap him in a bubble wrap and never let go. He’d seen that fire in Tim’s eyes a thousand times back in his own Gotham, that unwavering courage that refused to falter, no matter the odds. In this universe, that spark had only intensified, sharpened into a razor-thin line between survival and self-destruction.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart.” The words slipped out, instinctual, a tender assurance in the oppressive silence.
Dick felt the weight of Tim’s small frame slump against him as unconsciousness took over, but there was no time to lose. He tightened his grip around Tim, reaching up with his free hand to activate his comms, his voice urgent and edged with desperation.
“Hello?” He waited, his heart pounding in his chest, the static on the other end only deepening the eerie emptiness of this Gotham. Every second that passed without a reply twisted his worry into a knot of dread.
“Come on,” he muttered, trying again. “Bruce? Alfred? Anybody? I know someone’s listening—pick up. Robin is injured.” The silence felt heavier, colder. His grip on Tim tightened as he waited, hoping, as seconds ticked by and the city around them remained eerily quiet.
No answer but someone was online. He knew the difference between the two silences.
“I repeat, Robin is bleeding out and needs help now .”
Just when he was beginning to lose hope, a familiar voice cut through the comms. “Who is this?” Barbara’s voice was wary, sharp, as if she were speaking to an intruder.
In a way, he was.
This Gotham felt hollow, a city devoid of the family he’d come to rely on. His fingers tightened around Tim’s shoulder, a protective instinct flaring up within him.
“Thank God,” he said, barely managing to keep his frustration at bay by the wave of relief that hit him. “I know you hate to hear that, but there’s no time for explanations. Where can I take Robin to get patched up? Is Leslie still working?”
There was a pause on her end, and Dick could almost hear her suspicion. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I can’t just trust a stranger with—”
“ Tim is bleeding out.” Batman’s voice slipped out without permission. He’s not sure who was surprised more, him or Barbara. The name drop didn’t help too.
Another beat of silence, and then she relented. “The Watchtower,” her voice was still tense. “I’ll send someone to get you.”
“Don’t worry about it—I know the route,” he replied quickly. He shifted Tim’s weight in his arms, determined to get him the help he needed. Without waiting for another word, he moved into the shadows, setting his course for the Watchtower.
The Gotham Clock Tower was built and owned by Wayne Enterprises. Bruce’s voice from another universe accompanied him on his way there.
All of her books, her files -- her work! Her whole life [] in that tower! Stephanie’s voice jumped it.
The route to the Clock Tower was ingrained in his memory—he’d taken it a thousand times before, navigating the rooftops, shadows, and fire escapes with ease. Each step felt surreal in this broken, alternate Gotham, but his focus remained on the small figure he carried. Tim’s breathing was shallow, each labored rise and fall of his chest reminding Dick of the urgency driving him forward. He couldn’t lose Tim—not like this, not here.
As he reached the base of the Clock Tower, the familiar structure loomed above, a stark contrast against the decaying cityscape. Every worn stone and crack in its foundation held memories, echoing with the sounds of his family’s voices. Bruce’s instructions, Babs’s late-night pizza, Steph’s laughter and Cass’s protectiveness filled his mind, carrying him up the familiar climb. He kept his pace steady, careful not to jostle Tim too much as he scaled the tower.
When he reached the rooftop entrance, he was met by a tense silence, broken only by the faint hum of electronics inside. He pushed open the door, stepping into the dimly lit space. Before he even had a chance to call out, Barbara’s voice cut through the quiet, laced with barely contained fury.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Her words were like a whip, and Dick could see her standing in the shadows, arms crossed, her gaze sharp as steel.
Before he could answer, Stephanie stepped forward, raising what looked like a modified blaster, aiming it directly at him. “Stay right there. Don’t move an inch,” she warned, her voice steady but her eyes narrowing as she took in his face. The distrust, the readiness to defend their place, all came through in her stance, and he knew any wrong move would end badly.
“Spoiler, stay back.” Barbara’s sharp voice ordered. She looked as beautiful as ever. She wasn’t in costume, only wearing a domino to hide her identity. A domino that was outdated in his universe by more than a decade. Steph was also wearing one, as well as a purple hoodie to hide her identity.
Dick lifted his free hand slowly, showing he meant no harm. “Tim needs your help.”
Barbara’s expression softened a fraction, and Steph’s hand shook a bit. He held his ground, hoping they could see the truth in his eyes. The silence stretched between them, thick with tension and unspoken questions, as the weight of everything he’d endured began to settle over him.
“I know you have questions,” Dick started, trying to keep his tone calm.
Barbara’s eyes narrowed. “Questions? That doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
He took a steadying breath, glancing at Tim’s unconscious form in his arms. “I get it, but can we hold off on the interrogation until Tim’s out of danger?”
Stephanie, still aiming her blaster, gave Barbara a quick look before muttering, “Fine. But don’t think you’re off the hook.”
Dick nodded, his voice soft but resolute. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
In that suspended moment, Dick wondered if this fragile bridge of trust and mutual need to save Tim would be enough to save his life.