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Barbara stood at the doorway to Tim’s room watching as Dick tied Tim down, his screams bloodcurdling. She knew it was a necessary evil to restrain him, lest he really hurt himself or someone else in the manor or worse, outside the manor. She knew he couldn’t control it, the fear gas was a powerful hallucinogen that played tricks on his mind. Barbara wondered what exactly it was he was seeing that was making him so terrified. Her arms crossed over her chest tightly in worry. Tim was like a brother to her and seeing him thrashing against restraints clearly in some sort of mental pain was bothersome.
Dick stepped back looking at his handy work, Tim wasn’t going anywhere. His frown deepened as Tim struggled and screamed out. “CASSIE, CASSIE!” Clearly he was seeing something to do with Cassie Sandsmark, Wonder Girl. Tim had confessed to Dick some time ago that the two of them had kissed under duress and while the circumstances might not have been ideal, you can’t build a relationship off of tragedy, Tim had all but said the kiss had been earth shattering. It clearly had sparked something between the two because Dick paid extra attention to the two of them after that. Being especially proud of his brother for sneaking a girl into his room right under Bruce’s nose. He really thought they’d make it despite Tim and Cassie both not being in the right headspace for a relationship. Then Conner had come back and Tim had retreated. He knew from Donna after a few drinks, that Conner and Cassie hadn’t been able to work things out. It wasn’t the same. Donna had said Cassie was different. Dick liked to think his younger brother had something to do with that. Dick took one last look at Tim’s restraints. He knew the gas would wear off within a couple of hours or so but it seemed to be getting worse not better. Tim was all but throwing his entire body weight against the restraints. What was Tim seeing that made him this out of control?
The fear and adrenaline had kicked in quickly. At first it disoriented Tim, his eyes unable to focus the face of Scarecrow’s mask twisting into shapes and invading his personal space. Tim had backed up quickly knocking into Steph before jumping forward to attack. Except, when he had he had fallen right into Conner’s tombstone cracking it in half his knees dirty from the wet mud of the fresh gravesite. Looking around he could see Bart’s and if he looked closer Dicks, Barbara’s, Steph’s, Batman’s, the list went on. Suddenly Tim felt like he couldn’t breath the world spinning around him until he heard her cry. Tim’s head whipped around at the sound. Cassie? CASSIE! He yelled running towards her. His legs felt like jello unable to get to her in time. Scarecrow’s face had appeared behind Cassie ready to strike and Tim yelled again forcing his body forward. Vines reached out for his arms and legs holding him back and Tim tried with all his strength to propel himself forward and get to her. He couldn’t, no, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. “CASSIE!” he screamed again but she wasn’t moving, almost like she was in a daze before…
Dick headed over to Barbara shaking his head. “He got a pretty good dose, this might last all night.” He paused for a moment looking back at a distraught Tim still screaming for Cassie. “I think we should call her. It might settle him.” Dick suggested the frown still apparent on his lips. They could wait this out, but seeing his brother in pain was unsettling and if Cassie could help why not call her?
“It might make it worse.” Steph sniped. She had been leaning against the wall outside of Tim’s room, her spoiler costume still on but the hood and face mask down, her arms crossed across her chest.
Dick spared her a glance before he took out his phone to scroll through his contacts despite her clear protest. To say he was upset with her was an understatement but as Barbara had reminded him, berating Steph too hard would just worsen her insecurities or make her defensive and that wasn’t exactly what they needed right now. He’d address what happened tonight with her later. Dick ignored the scoff from Steph as he looked at Barbara watching Tim with a worried expression on her face.
“I’m worried, a good dose of Scarecrow’s fear gas can be just as bad as prolonged exposure. He’s clearly seeing something over and over again. What if Tim isn’t aware enough of his surroundings and we’ve called Cassie for nothing? Or worse, what if having Cassie here triggers something in his brain that makes it worse? Makes it more real to him? He’s practically throwing himself against his restraints, I shudder to think what he would be doing if we hadn’t tied him down.” Dick can see the worry lines on Barbara’s pretty face and it makes him hesitate for a moment, his finger hovering over Cassie’s name in his list of contacts.
“You think it’s too simple a solution? But what if he needs reassurance? Tim’s a smart kid, maybe he just needs the real thing to ground him through this.” Dick countered.
Barbara’s head nodded her red hair falling in her face. She was the analytical one, her mind always seeing all angles of things, picking apart complications.
As she gave him the green light Dick’s finger hit the call button and he waited. Cassie finally picks up and her voice is groggy from sleep, it makes Dick cringe, he’s about to give her some shitty news and drag her out of bed, afterall it is quite late and heroes need their sleep when and where they can get it. “Cassie, it’s Dick, sorry to wake you. Tim needs you here, he had a run in with Scarecrow. We’re at Wayne Manor, we could use the help.” He rattled off. He could hear her perk up at the sound of Tim’s name, the sound of covers being thrown off and dresser drawers being flung open as she responded to him over the phone before hanging up. Cassie was on her way.
In what seems like minutes Cassie is at the Wayne Manor flying through the halls towards Tim’s room. Outside his door Dick and Barbara are waiting for her with worried expressions on their faces. She touches down and peers in the room watching Tim struggle against his restraints, calling out for her. She’s never seen him in this state, ever. It shakes her to her core. Tim is composed and calculated. This is raw, this is fear and panic and horror. “What happened to him?” She asks, worry written all over her face. She can’t help but whip her head towards his screams, her name being called out by him in sheer panic.
“Scarecrow’s fear gas, he got a major dose tonight - he keeps calling for you, I thought you being here might help calm him down.” Dick shrugs, placing his hands on either side of Cassie’s shoulders, a silent thank you for rushing over and for being here for Tim at a moment's notice. Dick can see that Cassie still deeply cares for Tim despite everything they went through. It sort of reminds him of himself and Babs, but he keeps that to himself, now is not the time for comparisons nor to let his mind wander.
“It might not, it’s a hallucinogen we don’t know exactly what he’s seeing.” Steph clicks her tongue pushing herself off the wall and making herself known. It’s bad enough that Tim is strapped to his bed screaming at the top of his lungs because she had been too trigger happy and couldn’t wait another goddamn minute. He had pushed her out of the way blocking Crane’s sharp hand fork, she hadn’t seen it coming, Tim had. Scarecrow had taken the opportunity to give Tim a good dose of fear gas, they had been inches apart and Steph hadn’t been quick enough to react and return the favor. The guilt she felt for getting Tim in this position was overwhelming, especially since she knew he still didn’t trust her 100%. But calling Wonder Girl? That was just adding insult to injury. Steph couldn’t help the anger that rose up bubbling over completely when she saw the blonde make a bee-line to Tim’s room, Stephanie had to bite her tongue. Funny, it seemed as though Wonder Girl had been here before, she didn’t need any directions or help making it to Tim’s room.
Cassie feels the tension immediately. She knows Steph’s pissed off, and whether that has anything to do with Tim calling Cassie’s name instead of Steph’s or if there was something more going on Cassie isn’t sure. She doesn’t take the bait and instead turns her attention back to Tim. She can hear Steph stalk off down the hall, Spoiler’s boots clacking on the polished Wayne Manor floor. Cassie wants to throw something at her or at least ream her out for being so selfish. Nothing matters at this moment other than Tim’s well being, at least that’s what Cassie thinks.
Barbara seems to pick up on the tension in Cassie’s posture as Spoiler takes off down the hall. “Don’t take it personally. She’s looking for an outlet, and thinks what happened to Tim tonight is her fault.” Barbara says, squeezing Cassie’s arm for reassurance. She doesn’t tell her that it is Steph’s fault, that she needs to get better at listening to direction, that Tim could have been critically injured tonight or worse.
Cassie nods. She feels Dick and Barbara’s eyes on her and it makes her just a tad uncomfortable, regardless she makes her way inside sitting on the edge of Tim’s bed as he continues to thrash. His wrists are already red from the harsh movements and beads of water begin to form along his forehead from the sweat of panic. His eyes are bloodshot and Cassie’s movements are slow and steady beside him. “Tim? It’s Cassie.” He doesn’t hear her, he’s still fighting the restraints and calling her name. She hovers over him pressing her hands into his chest hoping he can feel the pressure, that it’s real. “It’s Cassie, Tim. I’m here.” she coos. He can feel the pressure and begins panting. New tactic. Cassie runs her fingers through his hair, softly touches the soft skin of his cheeks. “I’m not going anywhere Tim, I’m here for you.” The feeling of her fingers running through his hair seems to get his attention and she can see him fighting between delusion and reality. He seems to stop fighting the restraints but his eyes can’t focus on her.
Instead, Cassie lays beside him, her head resting on his chest, her body fitting perfectly next to his. “I’m okay, you’re going to be okay, it’s okay.” she repeats and she’s not sure for whose benefit she says it for. His calls for Cassie become shallow pants and then finally he just repeats her name like he’s reassuring himself it’s her. He smells her shampoo, her fruity blonde tresses right under his nose and scattered across his chest as she listens to his heart beat become less and less erratic. It reminds him of the night they fell asleep on the couch at Titans Tower watching Wendy the Werewolf reruns and somehow Cassie had ended up falling asleep on his shoulder. It was the first time Tim really noticed the smell of her hair and the first feelings of butterflies it gave him. It settled him.
Dick and Barbara pretend to give them privacy, really they’re just standing outside the door watching from the shadows as Tim begins to calm down. “How’d you know this would work? It’s just so....simple” Barbara asks, eyes narrowed at him.
Dick just shrugs and gives her a lopsided smile. “Because - when it happened to me all I wanted was for the one thing I was calling out for...” He looks at her meaningfully and Barbara smiles softening under his gaze. He means to say to her. She reaches out to touch his arm in a heartwarming gesture. “Pancakes Babs.” Dick finishes and he can see Barbara's face drop for a second before her sincere touch turns into a smack.
He lets out a chuckle grabbing her wrist and pulling her into him, kissing her forehead. “Pancakes, but mostly you, you know that.” A grin spreads across Dick’s lips as he begins walking with Babs down the hall giving Tim and Cassie some real privacy. He knows she’ll be here all night watching over him.
Tim squints from the bright light shining through the curtain in his room that had not been closed all the way. Lifting his hand to shield his eyes he is met with restraint. That was curious. He pulls on his restraints again before his eyes open in panic. His hands are in shackles restraining him to his bed. Wait. His bed. He’s home, at the Wayne Manor. As he looks down assessing his situation Tim notices he’s still in his Red Robin outfit and there, sleeping rather peacefully with her head on his chest is one Cassie Sandsmark. Tim’s brain goes into overdrive as he tries to remember the events of last night. He had been on patrol with Steph fighting the Scarecrow and...right. He’d been hit with a large dose of fear gas. How Cassie had ended up curled up next to him was a mystery to him. He could very vaguely recall his nightmares before he settled into a dreamless sleep. Tim turned his head to the side, raising it slightly to check the clock on his bedside table. It read 8:45 in big red numbers. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept in this much, it was probably the most sleep he had had in months all things considered. Given his current circumstance Tim settled back down enjoying the feeling of Cassie’s body heat next to his and the smell of her fruity shampoo making him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
It wasn’t long before Cassie was stirring her head tilting up as her eyes fluttered open to check on Tim. His blue eyes roamed her athletic figure as she stretched. “Good Morning.” she grinned, catching his eye. “You gave me quite the scare last night.” she told him, leaning over to untie his shackles giving Tim quite the early morning view.
Once his hands were free Tim rolled his wrists noticing the angry red marks marking his skin. “I’m sorry - I didn’t mean - they called you didn’t they? Dick and Barbara?. I’m sorry they called” Tim began to apologize sitting up. He figured that had happened, that Cassie had been called because Dick knew practically everything that went on between the two of them and must have been worried.
Cassie scooted closer to him. “I’m not. I’m glad Dick called me, I’d rather be by your side should anything happen, you know that.” she shrugged a slight pink hue coloring her cheeks at her admission. Tim smiled, placing his hand on top of hers. Even though they’d been through hell and back these last few years, they’d been there together. When Conner and Bart had passed Tim and Cassie had each other and neither were willing to let go even with a failed relationship between them. They were a mess but they were there for each other. Tim trusted Cassie with his life, with his secrets, with everything. She didn’t push and pry and force him in any way, she was just there, always supportive.
“I saw you in danger.” he admitted when there was a quiet moment between the two. “I was in the cemetery in Gotham and I fell over Kon’s tombstone, broke it in half and when I looked around there were tombstones all over of everyone I knew. But you, you were still there and the Scarecrow had you and Jesus Cassie, I couldn’t make it to you in time but I kept fighting my way to you, I couldn’t lose you too. I saw some gruesome things but nothing mattered. I knew I just had to get to you, it was like the whole thing was on a loop and I just kept trying to save you and I couldn’t.” Tim had his hands covering his face now reliving the image of Scarecrow and Cassie in his head.
“I’m here Tim and I’m fine and I'm not going anywhere - I'm tougher than I look, remember.” Cassie could only imagine the stress he went through. She placed her hands over his until he let them fall in his lap. “I’m sorry you had to relive that over and over, I'm sorry you were in that position in the first place.” she sighed, still holding onto his hands.
“I’m glad you’re here Cassie.” She smiled then. Tim was the strongest person she knew. He fought his way back to the light each and every time and she couldn’t be more proud of him. The feeling was overwhelming and against her better judgment Cassie leaned in to press her lips against Tim’s. The kiss was a surprise and Tim’s eyes had gone wide in shock before his body relaxed and he kissed back eagerly. When they pulled apart they were both smiling.
“Hey, I bet Alfred will make pancakes for breakfast. Dick is home, those are his favorite.” Tim grinned. Cassie smiled along with him entwining her fingers with his.
“Pancakes sound good, but maybe we could sleep in just a little bit longer.” she said with her other hand snaking up his chest to lightly push him down. “I forgot just how soft Wayne Manor sheets are.” she chuckled, pulling the covers up over them.