Chapter Text
“Are you serious?” Tim cried out in front of the chess table. Checkmate had been set. Allen, who was seated to his right, shook his head in defeat.
“Better luck next time,” Jason said as he high-fived George.
Tim stepped away from the board. Fallen orange leaves crunched under his foot. Gotham was so pretty this time of year. He breathed in, and the disappointment calmed a little. The park had that special fall smell that Tim couldn’t describe, but loved all the same.
School had let out for Thanksgiving break an hour ago. Tim had three whole extra days to do whatever he wanted, to stuff his face with food they only ate this time of year and start working on his Christmas list. Last November, Tim had made the leftovers last a week and then some. Thanksgiving was one of the few days that was a guarantee for his parents to actually be home. They typically left the day after, so there was no need to share turkey sandwiches.
His parents weren’t the ones he’d be sitting across from on Thursday, though.
He’d be sitting at the table with the Waynes. Bruce, Jason and even Dick, who’d recently started coming home more often, according to Jason.
Tim wasn’t sure how to feel.
Ever since Bruce’s invitation, movie nights slipping into sleepovers became routine. Jason’s commentary made him laugh so hard he couldn’t breathe. Dick had even taken Tim and Jason to the zoo one Friday, which Tim could honestly say he’d never done before.
He started spending more nights at the Waynes’ than in his own bed. Mrs. Mac had rung a few times at the start, concerned, but a few easy words from Mr. Wayne calmed her right down.
It wasn’t until he broke his wrist that things really changed.
Bruce had picked up after the second ring from Tim’s call and arrived at the creek within ten minutes. He hadn’t even put on any shoes, completely ruining his boring navy socks. He’d carried Tim back to the car and rushed him to the hospital.
The staff there had a lot of questions. Bruce’s lawyers had moved quickly after that. Judge Wallace decided that his parents weren’t a “safe home” for him, even after he explained that it was his fault he’d fallen. Whatever that meant. It wasn’t like his house was booby-trapped or anything. Tim was officially labeled as an “emergency neglect case.”
Bruce explained it to him later, after Tim had beat his fists against Bruce’s chest. Adults were supposed to be around, even at night, and that if he got seriously hurt, someone should be close by to help. Tim had slumped into his newly named foster father’s tight hold once the confusion turned to exhaustion.
When Judge Wallace threw down the gavel, his dad had thrown angry words, saying they’d “given Tim everything” and that Bruce had “paid her off to steal our son.”
Tim was used to his dad’s yelling, and his mom’s silence. But her expression that day? It was something he’d never seen before.
She just looked… sad. She ran her glassy eyes up and down Tim’s body, resigned. His fists were clenched under the table as he fought the urge to stand, to move, to ask her to stay.
“We have to go, Jack.”
Dad’s rant cut off mid-sentence. He looked at her like she was crazy. She didn’t budge, though. The statement had swallowed them both whole. Mom stood up and began to walk out of the court. Dad stood there, staring.
“Be good, Tim.”
“Mom…”
“We love you.”
And then she left. Dad trailed behind.
“Tim-” Dad started. He didn’t finish whatever he was going to say. He just turned his head and looked off into the distance. Dad suddenly felt a thousand miles away.
“Goodbye, Tim.”
They’d called a few times since, but Tim hadn’t seen them in person. If he looked at the situation from afar, it wasn’t really all that different from the months they’d spent on another continent before. Tim was used to their silence.
But it felt different this time. Deep down, Tim knew that they weren’t coming back for him.
All he had now were empty words and vague promises. But the Waynes did more than that. They showed up every day, fed him, gave him new clothes. They let him into the kind of home that Tim thought was only in the movies.
An engine cutting off stole Tim’s attention. Bruce’s black Audi pulled up to the edge of the park. The window rolled down.
“Hey boys!” Bruce shouted. Tim was surprised he was here. Alfred said he’d be picking them up.
Jason grinned and got up from his chair. He pulled his backpack straps around his shoulders. “Our ride’s here, so we gotta go. But get ready. George and I are gonna rock your shit again next week.”
“In your dreams,” Allen responded, tone completely even. Tim hoped he’d keep that kind of cool one day.
Tim nodded in agreement and grabbed his own bag. “Good game, guys. See ya!”
They walked over to the car. Jason slammed the passenger door open and crawled to the far side. Tim followed after him.
“So…” Bruce prompted.
“3 to 2, baby,” Jason said.
“That’s so not fair,” Tim whined. “You totally cheated last game.”
Jason flashed him a grin. “Now those are the words of a sore loser.”
Tim rolled his eyes. “At least I don’t rely on a hidden queen promotion to win.”
“You so would if you could.”
Bruce cut in. “I see your trash talk extends to more than me, then. Keep practicing. Chess teaches patience. Discipline.”
Jason mouthed “he’s so old” to Tim, who snorted. Tim tried to hide his response, but he could tell Bruce caught everything in the mirror by the way he smirked. Bruce liked when they were laughing, even if it was at his expense.
They kept talking as Bruce drove them home. The drive was familiar to Tim, even if the final few streets were new. Before long, the old ones might feel like a memory. Tim didn’t know for sure.
A few minutes passed, business as usual. And then Bruce missed the turn onto the freeway. Tim wasn’t sure what to do. Bruce had never messed that up before. Jason and Tim shared a look. The older boy had also noticed.
“Uh, Bruce?” Jason called out. “You gonna reroute?”
“I received a call today,” Bruce said, ignoring Jason’s question. “We passed the inspection.”
Tim gasped. He began buzzing in his seat, unable to stay still.
“What?” He exclaimed. “Does this mean-“
“Yes,” Bruce said. “We’re picking someone up.”
Tim froze.
Lucy.
Lucy’s foster mom, Reese, was standing in front of a massive apartment complex on the Upper East Side. Lucy was next to her, sniffing a nearby bush.
Tim waved at Reese as they passed by the duo. Reese didn’t wave back, and Tim suddenly remembered that the windows were tinted. Oops.
Bruce parked in one of the visitor spots close by.
“Are you ready?” Bruce asked him. They’d discussed this over and over. How she’d be Tim’s dog, and his responsibility, but they’d all pitch in and help.
It wasn’t all on him.
Tim grinned and nodded. “Never been more ready.”
Jason popped open his car door. “Let’s go, then!” He shouted, clearly impatient. Bruce chuckled in response.
Tim hopped out of the car. His eyes were glued to Lucy as he put one foot in front of the other. Lucy hadn’t noticed him yet, her attention elsewhere. She didn’t seem uneasy. Reese must have been taking really good care of her.
“Lucy!” Tim shouted.
She turned his way. Their eyes met and she began to whine. Tim’s heart leapt out of his chest.
Her tail was soon wagging like crazy. Tim picked up his pace, now only a few hundred feet away.
Lucy started scrambling, trying to get closer to him, the parking lot with moving cars be damned. She lunged forward so hard that Reese stumbled. Reese gave up trying to hold Lucy back, and let herself be pulled along.
They met in the middle. Tim wrapped his whole body around Lucy. She couldn’t hold still; she was wiggling, trying to get her nose in his face and give him countless “where have you been?” kisses.
“Oh man,” Tim said. “I missed you, crazy girl.”
It was like no time had passed. The ache in Tim’s heart that had been there for months, that had become part of his every day, lessened just a little right then.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this excited,” Reese stated from where she was standing nearby. The words made Tim even more relieved, which didn’t seem possible.
She had missed him too.
“Thank you for all of your help, Reese.”
“Happy to, Mr. Wayne. Lucy has been wonderful.”
“Are you sure I can’t-”
“I’m certain. I don’t do this for the money.”
Bruce hummed, which was as good as saying he respected her choice, even if he wanted to meddle.
And meddle he had. Tim overheard Bruce make some calls to the shelter, arranging her to be in foster care due to ‘disputed ownership’. Reese agreed to watch her until Tim’s home life stabilized.
When Tim spoke on the phone with her a few weeks back, she’d acknowledged that taking Lucy to the shelter showed Tim’s maturity. He had learned that asking for help wasn’t a weak thing. Once Tim was ready, they just needed to give her a call.
Lucy belonged with him.
Jason came over to the three of them and knelt down.
“Hey Lucy,” Jason said. He ran his hand over her back, joining in on the action. “Good to see ya. Ace can’t wait to show off all his new toys. He might even be willing to share if it’s you.”
Tim laughed softly.
“Can we go home?” Tim asked. Bruce gave him a warm look.
“Sure, bud.”
On their walk back to the car, Tim realized he had forgotten something. He angled his body back towards the apartment building, hoping that Reese was still there.
She was.
“Thanks for keeping her safe, Ms. Reese!”
Reese smiled and gave him a wave. “You take good care of her, yeah?”
“I promise!”
That evening, Tim took her out for a walk thirty minutes after dinner. Bruce joined him. He was nervous at first, doing this again. But one reassuring glance from Bruce had him relaxed. It was like riding a bike, poop bags and all.
Tim held the leash in the hand that didn’t have a wrist brace attached. They’d put a new collar on her. The Waynes' home phone was engraved on her shiny dog tag.
“What do you say we go to the creek this weekend? Might be the last time before snowfall.”
Tim looked up from his phone, where he’d just sent a photo of Lucy to Erica. A heart emoji was sent back immediately.
“I’d like that, but uh… Would it be okay if we stay back, too? I want to show Lucy the hedge maze in the garden.”
“That sounds like a great idea. We’ll stay home.”
And so they did. Tim and Lucy wove through the maze for hours, until Bruce called out that it was time for dinner.
“Did Lucy like the gardens?” Bruce asked once they were inside.
“She loved them! Figured out the maze, too. She led us on the way out.”
“Smart girl.”
“Yeah,” Tim said.
She really was.