Work Text:
Jason had just wrapped up that night's patrol when he got the message. All that it said was: RETURN TO CAVE. RR IS CAPTURED.
Sighing, Jason rolled his eyes but headed north anyway. There had been a recent outbreak at Arkham Asylum, where only Scarecrow had managed to escape and continued to avoid the Bats' attempts to find him. Once he arrived, Jason noted everyone was gathered around the Batcomputer. Once he settled down, a video started playing.
Tim was tied up to a chair, with a monitor hooked up to his head. Thankfully his domino was still on. Jason didn't think he could handle seeing the look in Tim's eyes, knowing it was once and still sometimes directed at him. Scarecrow then walked on screen.
"Well, well, well, Bats. I managed to capture a stray birdie who flew a little far from the nest. Don't worry. I won't hurt him. Well, not too badly, still got to have fun." Crane started dramatically, occasionally gesturing towards Tim. "Jesus, just get on with it. All your monologues are the same. Record the video and send it off." Tim snarked, managing to get across the rolling of his eyes.
"Quiet," Scarecrow snarled. "I have realized that you have all built up a sort of immunity to my fear toxin, ruining my fun that way. However, with some of the serum I have spent the last couple of weeks working on, paired with my fear venom and the screen you are hooked up to my little bird, we will be able to see what you see on my little invention. And with the truth serum of sorts, with any word I say, you see, and we see what you think of with that word." Scarecrow exclaimed excitedly. Turning back to the camera, Scarecrow continued. "Don't hurry, Bats, I have been waiting for this and will not have it interrupted." With that, the video then stopped.
"When was that sent?" Jason demanded. "Just before Oracle sent everyone that message," Steph answered. "I'm working on tracking it but it was pretty well encrypted," Barbara answered the unspoken question. "Jason, can you stay here with Cass and Babs, while the rest of us get started on searching for Tim," Dick asked. "Why do I have to stay?" Jason questioned. "I'll read the body language, Babs finds, and we will go together to rescue Tim if anything else comes through," Cass answered. She and Jason sat down on the chairs, ready to replay the video while everyone left.
About 30 minutes in, another video came in. Scarecrow adjusted the camera so it just showed the screen. "You all know how the body reacts with my venom, so I won't show you all that. The real show is what's on this screen. Which has sound, so you can get most of the experience." "Jodete, your outfit and whole aesthetic is stupid Scarecrow, and you aren't even the scariest Gotham Rogue," Tim yelled. "For that," Scarecrow said clearly, with ill-disguised anger in his voice, " what do you fear about family, Red Robin?" With that, the screen started playing.
"You stupid child," Jack Drake screamed from his wheelchair. "Of course, I didn't have a great day. I discovered that my son is Robin." Jack downed his glass and poured himself another drink. "You know, when Janet and I decided to adopt, we were expecting a normal child, not one who dresses up in spandex to get the living shit beaten out of him every night. That's what we get for choosing some junkie child from the fucking slums!" Tim stared in shock. "I'm adopted? Why didn't you tell me?" Jack laughed. "What, you thought you were really our child? We got the first kid who looked like us and we could leave to look after themselves. Guess you stuffed that up as well."
"Well, it looks like Red Robin here has some parent issues," Scarecrow commented. "Let's see if he has any memories from before being adopted."
"Pollito, I'm leaving the house for a bit, wanna come with?" A voice called out. "Coming," a young Tim called out who looked around 5, putting on shoes. Looking up, he saw someone coming down the stairs in a red jacket.
"That's, that's me." Jason stuttered, pausing the video. "Why is he seeing me? And that's a memory. I remember that day. Mamà died. My brother and I were put in foster." Jason started rambling. Then he realised. "Tim is, our Tim is my Tim. Timbo is Pollito." Jason ran to the bathroom before vomiting. Suddenly, a hand was rubbing his back. "You are hurt, upset but hopeful, happy. Why?" Cass asked. "I don't know when this memory that Tim sees ends, but on this day, I promised that I'll always protect him no matter what. And I slit his throat. I beat him till he almost died. More than once. I shot at him, called him Replacement. Why does he think of this when he thinks of family. He doesn't deserve me. I'm poison." Jason cried. "Wrong." Cass said determinedly. "You did that, yes. But you don't get to choose if Tim deserves you. Tim chooses. He is your brother, but you are also his. We find him, help him and then you talk." Cass spoke clearly. Jason nodded. "Better keep watching then, hey?" Jason pressed play.
"Come on, little chick." Jason spoke, jokingly. "Coming," Tim yelled. Together they walked out of the building, and down the street. Skipping down, they greeted various residents on the way to the park. "Want to go to the library?" Tim offered after a couple of hours. "You can keep reading Oliver Twist to me!" Tim exclaimed. "Sorry Tim Tam, it's getting dark, we have to head home. Tomorrow though." Jason promised. "Pinky promise?" Tim asked. The two locked pinkies before heading off back home. Walking back, Tim started talking about Batman and Robin. "I saw them fly over the roofs last night. They looked so cool. If I could, I would take a photo for you!" Tim exclaimed. "You were supposed to be asleep," Jason said sternly. "What if someone tried to take you or hurt you?" "Then Batman will stop them!" Tim answered. "We can't always trust the adults, Pollito. You know this." Jason reminded him. "But I can trust you. You'll always save me Jason." Tim said solemnly. "Yes I will, more than a pinky promise, I will always protect you." They hugged before walking up the stairs. Inside, there were paramedics, police and CPS officers.
"I'm guessing that might have been little Red Robin's last time with his brother. Is that why you named yourself Red Robin? Anyway, the fear gas should be kicking in fully now." Scarecrow announced gleefully.
"Almost have the address," Babs announced. "Jason, I won't judge if you lose your temper once you get to Scarecrow. I'm a part of the Birds, not just the Bats."
The screen showed the Cave. Tim and Jason were sitting together, speaking Spanish in a low tone. Dick, Cass and Damian were sparring gently together. Bruce and Steph were working on a case, surrounded by files. Babs and Alfred were coming into the room. “Hey Timmers, are you coming to dinner tomorrow?” Dick asked. “I’ll see if I can make it,” Tim answered. “I have some plans already but hopefully, they’ll be finished before 5.” Suddenly the mood of the room changed. “Plans such as catching up with assassins?” Jason asked. “You and your little buddy Pru going to take out a hit?” Steph added. “What? No!” Tim denied. “How fucked do you have to be to have Ra’s al Ghul ask you to lead the League, let alone agree?” Dick demanded. “Even Grandfather didn’t think I was that deplorable,” Damian added. “Lets not forget your other fuck ups,” Barbara reminded. “No spleen. 2 members of your team DEAD. and all the league bases you blew up. 5 minutes is not enough time to evacuate entire bases filled with personnel.” Bruce added in his Criminal Batman Voice. “Young sir, I thought you knew better than to be judge, jury and executor. Obviously I was wrong, I won't make that mistake again.” Alfred remarked. Cass stood up. “Lets not forget the Paris Catacombs. If I wasn’t there, could you have stopped it? Or would there be a child being trained up by Ra’s al Ghul with both of your genetics. You definitely didn't want it, but we almost had that possibility.” Cass added. “We keep having to rescue you from others, or even yourself,” Dick remarked. “Or have you forgotten about your and Ra’s al Ghul fight ending? You were going to let yourself fall. And Future Batman. The future says that you are a dictator, a murder. Well you’re already halfway there.” Suddenly, a mass number of people appeared out of nowhere. “You killed us,” They said. “ You are poison. Our blood is on your hands. Justice is demanded. An eye for an eye. A death for a death.” Various faces could be made out in the crowd. Sheila Haywood, Catherine Todd, Willis Todd, Jason, a large number of assassins, Kon, Bart, Jack and Janet Drake. “No, I’m sorry” Tim sobbed. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I killed you all. I’m sorry I fucked up, I’m sorry that I’m poison. I’m sorry.”
“I have the address,” Barbara announced. She sounded like she was holding back tears. “It's a warehouse near Dixon Docks, 2nd from the edge.” Jason and Cass hopped on their motorbikes, flying down the streets. In about 10 minutes, they arrived. “I fight Scarecrow. You rescue Tim.” Cass signed. Jason nodded. Nothing was going to keep him away from Tim. Cass burst through the roof, while Jason snuck through the ducts. Sneaking down, he pulled out the IVs injected into Tim, and pulled him out of the chair. “It's ok, I got you Pollito, he can’t get to you, I have you.” Jason murmured over and over again. Carrying Tim out, he saw that Cass had tied up Scarecrow, hanging from the roof, who was bloodied, and unconscious. Placing Tim in the back of the Batmobile, which had just pulled up. “I’ll meet you in the Cave,” Jason said to Bruce. “See you there,” Bruce responded. Jason hopped on his bike and sped back to the cave. Once he got there, Tim was already set up on the Medical Bed. “He’s alright, Master Jason, he should wake up in the morning. I brought this down here for you,” Alfred spoke, calming Jason’s fears. In his hand was a copy of Oliver Twist. “Thanks, Alfie,” Jason murmured. Sitting down, he opened the book and started reading from the first page.
When he woke up the next morning, Tim was still asleep. Placing the book down on the chair, Jason went to the bathroom to wash his face. Looking up in the mirror, he couldn’t help but be struck by a feeling of self-hatred. Tim was his little brother. One he had promised to never hurt, that he would take on Batman for him. But that was a lie. And it didn’t even matter that they were blood-related. He shouldn’t have done that to any kid, no matter what. How could he stay around Tim, knowing that he was one of Tim’s biggest fears? That he was poisonous.
Mind made up, Jason slipped outside, determined to stay away from Tim so as to not hurt him. Sitting up in a tree, he remained lost in his thoughts. Until a rock was thrown at his arm. Looking down, he saw Tim with a slight look of anger. “Get down here so we can talk. And then after that, you can decide if you hate me enough to avoid me forever.” Jason gaped. “I don’t hate you,” He said, sliding down to where Tim stood. “I was avoiding you because I cause you pain. We all saw the video of your fear last night. I’m poison.” Jason shrugged. “Wrong,” Tim stated. “Don’t tell me what my fears mean. The fear was my family, the one who I chose and who chose me, actually hated me and I was kept around just because I am useful. And the whole guilt of accidentally killing people was sprinkled in there. And don’t say that you are poison. That's my line.” Tim tried to joke. “But,” he added, tone serious. “I don't hate you. Sure, I’m pissed and feeling betrayed about Titan’s Tower, but you have gotten better. I was afraid that you'd reject me once you found out that I was your Tim, and how I was no longer Pollito. And I couldn't stand the possibility of hearing that, so I never told you. I’m sorry.” Tim started to cry. “I would never hate you, Pollito. Sure, you have changed since that day, but so have I. That won’t stop you from being my brother.” Jason stated firmly, hugging Tim.
“Promise?” Tim asked hopefully. “Pinky promise,” Jason responded. “Well, we have about 12 years to catch up on. Want to play some Mario Kart?” Tim asked. “You’re on!” Jason replied as the two raced inside, with a smile.