Chapter Text
Tim was content living alone. He was barely even alone anymore! His lonely evenings after school, once spent sitting alone in a kitchen after fixing himself a cold sandwich and studying, was now filled with movie nights at the Wayne's, filling dinners made by Alfred, sleepovers with Jason, and late nights in Gotham photographing the dark knight himself and the boy wonder. Who, Tim will often remind himself, are in fact the same neighbors he now considers the closest thing to a real family he might ever have. So yea, all in all Tim was very content.
Tim walked into the Drake manor, toeing off his sneakers at the door and dropping his backpack at the bottom of the stairs. He had just spent the day hiking with Jason and Bruce, and while normally he would be over the moon over spending an entire day with the two of them, he was so glad to be home. Over the course of what he was assured to be an easy hike Tim hand managed to lose his water bottle, break one of his camera lenses, knock Jason off the fallen log they were crossing over a creek on, and managed to tear his favorite hoodie sleeve. He groaned as he collapsed onto the couch and buried his face into the cushion.
He had been mortified, especially when he nearly cried when he knocked Jason into the water. He had been ready for them both to announce that bringing him was a mistake and send him back down the mountain. He was so focused on not crying he somehow managed to miss how hard Bruce was laughing, until Bruce clapped him on the back as he passed him to give Jason a hand up. The rest of the hike was okay, if not a little tense at least for Tim, who was very much on edge the rest of day. But he was finally home now. Actually enjoying the heavy quiet of the empty house.
*ding*
Tim pulled out his phone swiping at Jason’s text.
‘Are you sure you don’t want to watch the Lord of the rings with us? Alfred is making brownies and Bruce says you can stay the night.’
With a small smile he quickly typed ‘maybe next time I'm beat. Talk more tomorrow!’, before dropping his phone onto the coffee table and curling up on the couch, clicking on some documentary to fall asleep to.
~~~~
It was 1 am when Tim stirred on the couch. Sitting up a bit, still half asleep he looked around the dark room rubbing his eyes. What had woken him up? The tv was off now…which was…strange? He didn’t remember turning that off before he fell asleep. He liked leaving it playing. The background noise helped him sleep most of the time. He felt around the couch, maybe he just rolled over on the remote?
*creak*
Tim froze, feeling his heart rate accelerate, he reached for the lamp on the side table and clicked it on.
“Shit..” He breathed out almost silently when the lamp didn’t light up. He looked around the dark room quickly and felt around for his phone. He needed a flashlight, and to call Jason ..maybe the police.
The sound of a door creaking behind him froze Tim in his tracks.
“H-Hello.. ?”
“Hello Timothy”
With out seeing who the intruder was Tim was on his feet and booking it to the front door. He heard the man laugh and heard his footsteps chase after him. The door was only a few steps away, and Tim managed to run though the darkness and throw it open before strong arms grabbed him yanking him back into a broad chest.
“LET ME GO !! HELP!!” Tim screamed as he was manhandled into the intruder's arms, thrashing around frantically.
The man laughed and held him tighter. “Scream all you want little one. No one is going to hear you.”
Tim did scream. He screamed as he saw the lights of the Wayne manor at the top of the hill vanish behind a closed door.
~~~~~~
“Master Jason if i have to remind you of the no phones at the table policy one more time I will be serving Brussel sprouts and pickled herring for the of your meals this month.”
Jason groaned and put his phone down as Alfred refilled his orange juice. “I’m not playing games or anything I’m trying to get Tim to respond.”
Jason had felt terrible leaving Tim at the Drake estate after the shit show of a hike. Really the hike hadn’t actually been bad. Even falling in the water was fun looking back. It was seeing how worried Tim looked the entire way back that had Jason upset. He didn’t even snap at Tim he pushed him off the log so why was he acting so weird? Jason had been working really hard with his therapist to keep his reactions to things like that more controlled and he was almost certain he didn’t say anything mean to Tim. He even laughed about it! So why was Tim upset if he wasn't?
Ever since they first met Jason knew Tim was more sensitive. Jason would get mad at things but Tim? Tim would get this glassy look and just sorta shut down when bad things happened. He never got upset at anything like…ever. Not even when Jason ditched him all the time to do Robin things. He never asked why Jason had to leave or where he was going even if they where in the middle of something. That had always bothered Jason but Tim assured him it was fine and that he was used to people needing to take off. His parents were almost always at work from what Tim had said, which Jason understood. The first few months living with Bruce he was sure he was avoiding him because of how little Bruce was around. So he understood how living like that with no Alfred or Dick might make someone act like Tim.. which is why he hated leaving him alone so much.
“I'm sure he is just trying to get some well deserved rest after that trek up the mountain with you and master Bruce yesterday. The poor boy isn’t nearly as physically fit as you two are. I imagine he must be exhausted from trying to keep up with you.”
“I guess… I’ll go over if I don't hear from him in a few hours,,, to make sure he didn't fall down the stairs or something. He's and absolute hazard to himself sometimes I swear.”
“I cannot imagine how stressful it must be to be fretting over one's loved ones safety, young sir, '' Alfred started with a small smile.
“Ha. ha. Ha very funny but yea.. I worry about him a lot Alfred.. I can't help it, he's like all alone most of the time and he’s got no self preservation skills Alfred. None. I watched him eat pizza he pulled out of his locker. On a Monday. Pizza day is Wednesday. Like he’s gonna walk into traffic or something if he thinks he can get a good picture or something. He needs someone to worry about him.”
Alfred couldn’t help the feeling of pride that washed over him. “He’s lucky to have you then, young sir. Just like we are.” He smiled and ruffled Jason's hair affectionately. “But still no phones until you’ve cleared your plate.”
Jason smiled and started eating his pancakes, all but drowning them in syrup. Bruce came down not much later to join him for breakfast, Jason loved slow mornings like this. No batman emergencies, no office work. Just him and Bruce eating pancakes and talking about the new book he was reading. Jason was about to tell Bruce about the story he was thinking about writing when the landline’s ringing cut him off.
“Wayne manor this is Alfred speaking, how may I be of service?” Alfred’s brow creased as he waited for a response for the other line. “Hello?” He listened closely, putting a hand up to shush Bruce and Jason. There was muffled breathing and sniffling on the other end. “Hello? Are you alright? Can you tell me who I'm speaking to?” He asked gently.
“H.. Help p-please..”
“We will be there at once Master Tim, are you hurt?” Alfred glanced at Bruce who was already out of his seat and grabbing his car keys with Jason close on his heels. “Master Bruce is on his way. He will be there shortly, are you alright?” His heart clenched as his question was only met with a choked up sob. “You are going to be alright, master Tim. I will stay on the phone with you until help arrives.”
~~~~~~~
Tim had woken up slowly, to a painful ringing in his ears and the overwhelming need to throw up. He tried to push himself up but found his arms unable to move. He felt the painful sting of the rope digging into his wrists before he was able to process that he was in fact tied up on the floor. But that blissful moment of ingnance was short lived as the events of the night came crashing into him like a freight train.
He was barely able to roll onto his side in time to vomit, tears streaming down his face as glimpses of the night flashed before his eyes.
He could hear the man laughing as he called for help. He could feel the hold on him tighten as he fought as frantically as he could to free himself. The hand that forced him face down onto the coffee table. The burning in his nose as the foul smelling wet cloth was held over his face until he couldn’t breath or think or move.
Tim had laid there crying and gasping weakly as the man tied his arms behind him. As he keeled by him stroking his cheek and kissing the tears from his face. He remembered the wave of disgust he felt as the man licked the tears, and how that was nothing compared to what he felt when the man's hands went up his shirt-
Tim gagged and sobbed harder, blocking that out. Shutting that memory out as quickly as he could. He didn’t know how long he threw up for, or how long he laid there in his own vomit crying before the buzzing a few feet away caught his attention. Sniffling, he looked around him as best he could. His phone was a few feet away peeking out from under the couch. New tears filled his eyes as he saw the light flash with the sign of a new message from Jason. Jason who lived a few minutes away… With Bruce… who would come and help him if he could just get to his phone…
~~~~~~
Bruce sped to the Drake manor as fast as he could with Jason next to him radiating the same worry and dread that Bruce was feeling. They got to the gate and stopped.
“Why isn’t it opening its automatic it should be opening!”
“Calm down Jason, something must have cut the power.” Bruce quickly got out of the car and hopped the fence closely followed by Jason. The feeling of dread only got worse on the other side of the fence. He didn’t wait to manually open the gate and get the car, he just ran to the house as fast as he could with Jason on his heels.
The door had been open a jar which made Bruce's stomach twist. He motioned for Jason to stay behind him as he pushed it open, unsure of what they were going to be met with
“Tim!” Jason immediately rushed past Bruce, to the younger boy who was laying face down on the ground by the couch crying. Bruce could hear the muffled sound of Alfred trying to sooth the boy. He quickly scanned the room as he rushed over to the boys. Most of the valuables in the room were gone. The tv and electronics and all the priceless art and relics the Drakes were known for collecting were all gone. He quickly turned his attention to Tim, Jason had already gotten the rope off his wrists and had the boy sobbing into his chest.
“Tim kiddo can you look at me? Are you hurt?” Bruce asked Tim, gently kneeling by him.
Tim looked at him in tears, shaking violently. “I-I threw up o-on the rug..”
“I’m sorry buddy I’m so sorry. I’m going to take care of you okay? It's okay now.” Bruce was quick to notice the unfocused look in Tim’s eyes and how he was swaying even with Jason holding him up. ‘Drugs then’ He thought as he gently checked Tim over for injuries. There was a nasty looking bruise forming on his cheek and his wrists were bleeding from the ropes rubbing them raw. But other than that there were no other signs of injuries. ‘Thank god, it was just a robbery.’
“Its gonna be okay we’ve got you Alfred called the police okay? He’s calling your parents. Are they home? No? Okay that's okay its okay. We are gonna take care of you till they get back, you are safe now …” Jason rocked Tim gently in his arms. “Are you sure you are okay? Do you need to go to the hospital? Did the robber hurt you at all?”
Tim looked up at the concerned faces of his best friend and Bruce, tears blurring his vision. But he was safe in Jason's arms, it was Jason touching him now and he was safe. Bruce was looking at him with so much concern and .. and love… he wouldn’t look at him like that anymore if he knew he let some one touch him like that.. If he knew how stupid Tim had been leaving the door unlocked.
“N-no..” he said quietly “Im..im okay..”